The annual Amarnath Yatra saw its third major departure on Friday, July 4, as 6,411 pilgrims left the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu en route to the sacred cave shrine at 3,888 m in south Kashmir. The group, comprising 4,723 men, 1,071 women, 37 children, and 580 sadhus / sadhvis, traveled in 291 vehicles split into two convoys - one for the traditional 48 km Pahalgam route (138 vehicles, 3,622 pilgrims) and the other for the 14 km Baltal trail (153 vehicles, 2,789 pilgrims) under CRPF escort.

This batch raised the number of pilgrims journeying from Jammu to over 17,500 since the yatra began on July 3. Despite security concerns after the April 22 attack in Pahalgam, authorities have deployed multi-tiered protection involving CAPFs, army, BSF, CRPF, and local police. With over 350,000 registrations and measures like RFID tagging, on‑spot counters, and 34 accommodation centres in Jammu, the administration is prioritizing safety and convenience .

The Yatra, a 38-day-long spiritual trek, continues to draw mass participation, embodying faith and devotion while showcasing the effective coordination between religious sentiment and logistical governance in a typically challenging Himalayan environment.