Baltal, Jul 6: As the annual Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra continues smoothly through the rugged terrain of the Kashmir Himalayas, security personnel deployed along the pilgrimage routes are drawing praise from devotees for extending assistance far beyond their primary responsibility of ensuring security.
Along the Baltal and Pahalgam routes, personnel of the Jammu and Kashmir Police (JKP), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Border Security Force (BSF) and other agencies are working in close coordination to ensure the safety, comfort and well-being of thousands of pilgrims undertaking the annual pilgrimage.
Beyond maintaining law and order and safeguarding the yatra against potential threats, the security personnel have been assisting elderly, sick and physically exhausted pilgrims negotiating the challenging mountain terrain, which includes steep ascents, slippery tracks, unpredictable weather and oxygen-deficient high-altitude stretches.
Pilgrims said many devotees experience fatigue and breathing difficulties while trekking at elevations exceeding 12,000 feet, where security and rescue personnel have been providing timely assistance.
“Faced with steep ascents, sudden downpours and dropping oxygen levels, many pilgrims find themselves physically exhausted. It is here that the police personnel are stepping far beyond their traditional mandate,” a group of pilgrims said.
Specialised teams of the SDRF and Jammu and Kashmir Police have been stationed at vulnerable locations and high-altitude points to respond to emergencies. Quick-response teams equipped with oxygen cylinders remain deployed at critical stretches to provide immediate assistance to pilgrims suffering from acute mountain sickness or hypoxia.
Apart from emergency medical support, personnel have been helping pilgrims retrieve lost baggage, regulating movement at narrow stretches to prevent overcrowding, guiding devotees along the route and assisting those unable to continue the trek on their own.
Along both the Baltal and Pahalgam tracks, CRPF personnel and other security forces have been seen helping elderly pilgrims negotiate steep and slippery sections. Security personnel have also been carrying exhausted devotees on their backs and assisting senior citizens and children whenever ponies or palanquins were unavailable.
The humanitarian efforts of the security forces have earned widespread appreciation from pilgrims, many of whom described them as a reassuring presence throughout the arduous journey.
From the twin base camps to the Holy Cave shrine, Jammu and Kashmir Police and SDRF personnel have been seen holding the hands of elderly devotees across difficult stretches, carrying children on their shoulders and physically supporting pilgrims struggling with exhaustion and breathlessness.
“I didn’t think my knees would hold up beyond Domail,” said 68-year-old Ramesh Sharma, a pilgrim from Madhya Pradesh.
“But a young SDRF personnel walked beside me for over two kilometres, matching my pace, holding my arm and constantly encouraging me,” he said.
The annual Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra has long been regarded as a symbol of communal harmony and collective service. This year’s pilgrimage has once again witnessed coordinated efforts by security and rescue agencies not only to maintain security but also to provide humanitarian assistance, ensuring that devotees complete the pilgrimage safely and with dignity.
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