Srinagar, June 17 (GNS): Ahead of the forthcoming Amarnath Yatra, additional 85 CRPF companies are being inducted into Jammu and Kashmir for ensuring safety to the pilgrims, official sources said on Saturday.
The 62-day long annual pilgrimage is commencing from July 1 and the 85 companies including six woman coys are mostly being inducted in the Valley, they said.
A paramilitary CRPF official told GNS that 75 of the coys, each comprising about 135 personnel, are being deployed in south Kashmir, central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district and in Bandipora district of north Kashmir.
Other than sanitising the areas lying in south Kashmir and Baltal route in central Kashmir, the official said, the paramilitary personnel will be deployed for Road Opening Parties (ROPs) on the highway in the Valley.
The official said that additional companies are being inducted exclusively for the yatra duty. As per officials, around nine lakh pilgrims are expected to perform the annual yatra this year and as such “more troops would be required for their safety”. Asked if more companies will be rushed, the officials said, “There is no such information as of now.” (GNS)
