Amarnath Yatra suspended as precautionary security measure on Article 370 abrogation anniversary

Srinagar: On the 7th anniversary of Article 370 abrogation, authorities suspended the Shri Amarnath Yatra on Wednesday as a precautionary security measure.

Official sources said the movement of Yatris towards the Valley was suspended, and no Yatri convoy will be allowed to move towards Jammu with Yatris returning home after performing the Yatra.

However, Yatris were allowed to move towards the holy cave shrine from North Kashmir Baltal base camp.

Wednesday’s suspension of the Yatra is part of the heightened security precaution on the 7th anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370, downgrading of J&K into a union territory and the bifurcation of the state into two union territories of J&K and Ladakh.

The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has announced district-wide peaceful protests across Jammu and Kashmir to mark the anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370, demanding the restoration of special status and the release of political prisoners.

Authorities responded with heightened security, movement restrictions, and the denial of formal protest permissions to maintain law and order.

Police and CRPF have been deployed around PDP headquarters and sensitive areas. Authorities have already denied permission for the proposed protest due to law and order problems.

Reports here said senior PDP leaders, including the former Chief Minister and PDP president, Mehbooba Mufti, have been confined to prevent their participation in the proposed protests.

Alongside proposed district-wise protests, PDP has proposed a 15-minute symbolic blackout.

Interestingly, the PDP proposed protest is for Reinstatement of Article 370 and Article 35A while opposing the ruling National Conference demand, limited strictly to statehood restoration.

On August 5, 2019, the Government of India revoked the special autonomous status of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 of the Indian Constitution and bifurcated the state into two centrally administered Union Territories: Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

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