Faith under fire

In the aftermath of the terrorist attack at Baisaran Valley near Pahalgam on 22 April, which left 25 tourists and a local ponywala dead, unprecedented security measures have been implemented across the Kashmir Valley during the 38-day annual Amarnath Yatra (3 July–9 August).

Despite these extensive precautions, people are palpably afraid. It appears that the number of yatris this year could be the lowest in several decades.

Speaking to reporters at Raj Bhavan in Srinagar, lieutenant-governor (LG) Manoj Sinha acknowledged the impact of the attack on this year’s turnout. He revealed that of the 2.36 lakh pilgrims who had registered by 22 April, only 85,000 had reconfirmed their participation as of 26 June.

To understand the scale of the drop, it is worth noting that over five lakh pilgrims visited the Amarnath cave last year — the highest number in more than a decade. Between 2005 and 2024, the annual pilgrim turnout has ranged from a low of 2.6 lakh in 2017 to a peak of 6.3 lakh in 2011.

The Yatra has seen only two cancellations — in 2020 and 2021, owing to the pandemic — but there have been several attacks on pilgrims in the past. In a two-hour shootout on 2 August 2000, terrorists killed 21 Hindu pilgrims, seven Muslim civilians and three security personnel. On 10 July 2017, terrorists killed seven Amarnath pilgrims — six of them women — and injured 32 others in Anantnag. That same year, minister of state for home Hansraj Ahir informed the Lok Sabha that 36 terrorist attacks on the Amarnath Yatra between 1990 and 2017 had killed 53 pilgrims and injured 167.

These attacks, however, did not deter yatris from undertaking the pilgrimage. This year, though, is different. With security agencies having failed to apprehend the terrorists behind the 22 April attack, the fear is heightened.

Two days after the Pahalgam incident, Jammu and Kashmir Police released sketches of three suspects: Pakistani nationals Hashim Musa and Ali Bhai (also known as Talha), and local resident Adil Hussain Thoker. However, after taking over the investigation, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) retracted the initial identification, stating that the actual perpetrators — believed to be Pakistani nationals — are different from those earlier named.

“The confusion surrounding the attackers’ identities, coupled with the inability to arrest them, has deepened the sense of unease,” said Abdul Rashid, a Pahalgam resident.

Amidst this uncertainty, a multi-tier security set-up has been established for the Yatra, with over 180 companies of paramilitary forces deployed. More than 70,000 security personnel — including CRPF, ITBP and the Jammu and Kashmir Police — have been mobilised, as compared to 45,000 in 2024 and 35,000 in 2023.

For the first time, 10 superintendents of police (SPs) and 15 deputy superintendents of police from the Jammu and Kashmir Police have been assigned responsibility for the yatris’ security. The Indian Army’s ‘Operation Shiva’ is meant to ensure comprehensive security coverage along routes and at base camps. An official spokesperson stated that checkpoints will operate round the clock in high-sensitivity and high-mobility areas, including national highways, city outskirts and routes leading to the holy cave.

Facial recognition systems (FRS) have also been installed along the Yatra routes. These cameras are linked to a database containing images of known militants and suspects. In addition, vehicles transporting pilgrims are required to use Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags. These tags enable real-time location tracking, allowing security teams to respond swiftly in case of an emergency or if someone goes missing.

Additional security measures include high-definition surveillance cameras, a 24/7 command-and-control centre, quick reaction teams, X-ray scanners, bomb detection squads and thermal imaging devices positioned at checkpoints every few kilometres.

Around 100 medical camps — staffed by doctors from both armed forces and civil hospitals — have been established along the Yatra routes to provide emergency care and support.

The authorities have also banned helicopter services on both routes to the Amarnath cave — the Pahalgam route (48 km) and the Baltal route (14 km) — this year. These routes have been declared no-fly zones from 1 July to 10 August. Drones, UAVs and balloons are prohibited except for emergency operations such as medical evacuations or security surveillance. Last year, over 40,000 pilgrims — mostly elderly individuals — used the helicopter service to reach the holy cave.

In addition to these security measures, agencies have carried out synchronised mock drills across eight zones in Srinagar and key locations such as Pahalgam, Anantnag, Qazigund and other places to test emergency response readiness for scenarios including terrorist attacks, stampedes and natural disasters.

An official told this reporter that “the drills were aimed at ensuring coordination among the police, Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF)”.

Far from making potential pilgrims feel safer, many believe that these measures — including the conduct and wide publicity of mock drills, and the announcement of no-fly zones — may have actually added to their anxiety.

Ironically, despite the extensive arrangements, on 1 July security agencies apprehended an individual at Baltal for possessing and using a forged Amarnath Yatra registration card in an attempt to bypass security checkpoints. The individual, identified as Shivam Mittal, was caught trying to enter a restricted area with the fake permit. A police FIR has been filed, and an investigation is underway to trace the source of the forged document and uncover any possible network behind it. This incident underscores loopholes in the security bandobast.

The Yatra is no longer just a test of the pilgrims’ ability to endure extreme conditions — it’s also a test of the State’s resolve and ability to ensure their safety from the kind of threats that took all those lives in Baisaran on 22 April.