Thaindian News

By Pradeep Sharma

Lakhanpur (Jammu and Kashmir), July 24 (ANI): About 2000 Hindu pilgrims on way to join the Amarnath Yatra in Jammu and Kashmir were stopped at Lakhanpur, the main entry point to the state, following inclement weather conditions.

The pilgrims, who had left in a fleet of 60 vehicles, were stopped at the Gateway of the Jammu and Kashmir state, as landslides had occurred on the road due to heavy rains.

The authorities have made temporary arrangements of lodging for the stranded passengers at the checkpoint at Lakhanpur and would allow them to proceed to their base camps at Baltal and Pahalgam after the rubble from landslides is cleared.

The pilgrims, especially women and children, are facing grave difficulties as the halting destination lack basic facilities.

“Thousands of pilgrims are stranded here who have come in their cars or buses. It is causing lot of problems especially to children and women,” said Baboo, a pilgrim.

The security officials are diverting all the vehicles to this temporary stay point as the traffic has been blocked on the highway.

The pilgrims are now longing to continue their journey to the cave shrine of the Hindu god Shiva.

“We are in a group of 20 pilgrims. We had come with great respect and devotion in our hearts to visit Baba Barfani. But after crossing Madhopur, we were stopped by police officials at the border of Lakhanpur as they told us that the way ahead is closed,” said Pradeep Kumar, another devotee.

The stay point lacks proper arrangements, say the pilgrims.

“We were stopped at the Kashmir gate as we were informed that some landslide has taken place on the road ahead to Jammu. So, because the road is blocked and there is no other arrangement we have been stopped here,” said Harish Kumar, a pilgrim. (ANI)