Will Amarnath Yatra be affected after the Pahalgam terror attack?

The terror attack in the resort town of Pahalgam has spread fear across Jammu and Kashmir. Tourists visiting the Union Territory have started to leave and those wanting to visit in the near future are shelving their travel plans.

There are also concerns that the dastardly attack that killed at least 26 people, mostly tourists, could impact the Amarnath Yatra. Registration for the pilgrimage to the holy Amarnath shrine began earlier this month. The yatra is slated to be held from July 3 to August 9 this year.

But will the Pahalgam terror attack affect the Amarnath Yatra? Let’s take a look.

Follow live updates on the  Pahalgam terror attack  here.

Fear grips J&K

Four terrorists gunned down dozens of tourists in Baisaran meadow, some 5 kilometres from Pahalgam, on Tuesday afternoon. At least 26 people, including a young Indian Navy officer, died and 10 others were injured in the terror attack.

The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of the banned Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) terror group, claimed responsibility for the attack.

As per reports, terrorists targeted male tourists on the basis of their religion. The attack has sent shockwaves across the country, with tourists rushing to leave Jammu and Kashmir.

In a video that has surfaced on social media, a wounded woman can be seen crying, with a voiceover saying: “They shot her husband in the head.”

Speaking to Hindustan Times (HT), Aman Sharma, a tourist from Gujarat’s Ahmedabad, said, “We have come here to visit Shri Mata Vaishno Devi shrine but such attacks on hapless tourists do create fear psychosis among them.”

Sharma, who is visiting with his wife and two children, said they have seen disturbing videos of distraught victims on social media. “We had planned to visit Pahalgam after visiting Shri Mata Vaishno Devi shrine but we have now dropped it from our itinerary and will be falling back to Ahmedabad,” he added.

The targeting of tourists at the Pahalgam meadow is being seen as aimed at challenging the normalcy claims of the Central government post Article 370 abrogation.

Tourism has been on the rise in Jammu and Kashmir since 2018, with a slight dip during the pandemic.

Surrounded by snow-capped mountains, the Baisaran meadow — the site of the deadly attack — is a popular tourist spot.

“Tourism, with statistics running into the millions, has been the single success story claimed by the government -and hence the target of this attack. It also punishes the Kashmiris who have been reaping some economic dividends,” Kashmir commentator Zafar Choudhary was quoted as saying by Times of India (TOI).

Will Amarnath Yatra be affected?

The Amarnath Yatra is set to begin in July. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the Amarnath temple in Jammu and Kashmir is one of the holiest shrines for Hindus. Lakhs of devotees visit the temple every year.

While the pilgrimage is organised under intense security, some believe it could bear the brunt of the terror attack.

Pahalgam is one of the major routes taken to reach the Amarnath Cave. It serves as a base camp for Amarnath pilgrims, offering facilities like accommodation, medical support, and transportation for the trek.

Chairman of All Jammu Hotels and Lodges Association, Inderjit Khajuria, told HT that the terror attack could have an adverse impact on the Amarnath Yatra.

“It has happened at a time when Amarnath Yatra has been announced. The pilgrimage brings us business but this attack may play spoilsport for the tourism industry,” he said. “In such an atmosphere, who will come here. A single attack fizzles out entire pilgrimage and then it takes months for us to recover.”

According to Khajuria, the attack was deliberate, carried out ahead of the holy pilgrimage to hit the tourism industry. “I strongly appeal to the Centre that the ensuing pilgrimage be handed over to the army so that there’s no fear among the people”, he said.

Meanwhile, a public interest litigation (PIL) has been filed before the Supreme Court seeking directions to ensure the safety and security of the Amarnath Yatra in the wake of the terror attack.

When Amarnath Yatra was targeted

The Amarnath Yatra has previously been targeted by terrorists.

In 2000, over 30 people were killed and 60 wounded in an attack on the Amarnath base camp. A year later, a similar attack on Amarnath pilgrims at Sheshnag led to 13 casualties.

Militants again targeted the Amarnath Yatra in 2002, killing 11 pilgrims.

In 2017, terrorists gunned down eight pilgrims returning from the Amarnath shrine.

With inputs from agencies