Jammu

A batch of over 1,700 devotees left Jammu base camp for 3,880-metre-high cave shrine of Amarnath in South Kashmir himalayas amid multi-tier security escort on Thursday, officials said.

More than 4.40 lakh pilgrims have offered prayers at Lord Shiva shrine at the holy cave till now.

Twenty-third batch of 1,795 pilgrims, including 1,406 men and 389 women, left Bhagwati Nagar base camp here for Baltal in 82 vehicles around 2.50 am, they said.

With the departure of today's batch, the total number of pilgrims who have left the Jammu base camp for the annual pilgrimage has risen to 1,32,150, officials said.

This is the smallest batch that has left for the yatra: 2,051 pilgrims left Jammu for the shrine on Wednesday, 3,029 and 3,800 pilgrims on Tuesday and Monday.

The 57-day annual pilgrimage to the holy cave shrine is scheduled to conclude on August 28.

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The yatra resumed on July 25, after remaining suspended for six days from July 19 to July 24 due to inclement weather.