ISI, Khalistani group plotting to sabotage Amarnath Yatra: Intelligence inputs
What's the story
Intelligence agencies have unearthed a plot by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and the Khalistani terror organization Babbar Khalsa International to disrupt the Amarnath Yatra. According to their inputs, the ISI is planning to target pilgrims using Punjab's gangster networks, radical groups, and terrorist organizations. The reports also suggest that the ISI is using Babbar Khalsa International to target Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders and Hindu figures in Punjab and Delhi.
Plot details
Presence of suspected terrorists noted in June
In June, an intelligence alert noted the presence of suspected terrorists armed with advanced weaponry in a village near Pathankot. The Indian Army and local police launched a joint operation to secure the area after discovering the footprints of seven suspected terrorists. In a related development, a Hindu preacher in Punjab recently received a threat letter from a group claiming allegiance to Khalistan. The Punjab Police have filed an FIR and initiated a search for the perpetrators behind this threat.
Pilgrimage details
Amarnath Yatra continues despite threats
The ongoing Amarnath Yatra has seen participation from over 400,000 devotees in the last 28 days. The cave shrine, located at an altitude of 3,888 meters above sea level in Kashmir, houses an ice stalagmite believed to symbolize the mythical powers of Lord Shiva. Devotees can approach the cave shrine either from the traditional south Kashmir (Pahalgam) route or the north Kashmir (Baltal) route.