Expecting record number of Amarnath pilgrims this year; security to be fool-proof: DGP Dilbagh Singh

Jammu, Apr 02: Jammu and Kashmir’s Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbagh Singh Saturday said that after two-year’s of break due to Covid, a record number of Amarnath pilgrims is expected to arrive in Kashmir and police will make “elaborate and fool proof” security arrangements for smooth pilgrimage this year.

“As we all are aware that Amarnath yatra remained disrupted, rather suspended for two consecutive years due to Covid, we expect a record number of pilgrims this year as Covid has settled down to a large extent,” DGP said, while talking to reporters on the side-lines of a function in Udhampur.

He said since the number of pilgrims is going to be high this year, so will be their camps. “We will accordingly put in place the security arrangement to ensure that the Yatra remains peaceful,” the DGP said.

The J&K government on March 27, announced that the 43-day long annual pilgrimage of Amarnath Yatra will commence on June 30. The announcement was made after J&K LG Manoj Sinha chaired the review meeting of Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board.

Replying to a query about misuse of social media, the DGP said that social media provides an “ecosystem to militancy” as some handlers sitting across the LoC keep on instigating the youth through different means. “Social media was used to promote separatist ideology in the past. We are monitoring the social media round the clock. Those found misusing it here were dealt with sternly and whosoever is found involved in using social media for promoting militancy of separatist agenda is being deal strictly,” the DGP said.

About the former Congress minister Babu Singh’s role in recent case of Hawala money seizure in Jammu, the DGP said that initial probe has revealed that the funds used in the hawala transaction were somehow meant to fuel militancy and separatist activities.

“This is what the trail of hawala money transactions suggest so far. We are investigating the case. We will get Babu Singh and quiz him for his role in hawala money. Singh is absconding and we are tracking him,” DGP said.