2,201 pilgrims leave for Amarnath Yatra

Jammu, July 17 (IANS) A batch of 2,201 Amarnath pilgrims left Jammu on Tuesday for the cave shrine in the Kashmir Valley, police said.

Since it started on June 28, more that 197,000 pilgrims have already performed the annual pilgrimage.

"Escorted convoys carrying the 2,201 Yatris left the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas here for the Valley," the police said.

"Of these, 1,344 are heading to the Pahalgam base camp while the 857 others are going to the Baltal base camp."

Coinciding with the Shravan Purnima festival, the Amarnath Yatra will end on August 26.