Jammu district administration detects 300 fake registration permits for Amarnath Yatra

(Jammu and Kashmir) [India], July 1 : Jammu district administration along with police, detected about 300 fake registration permits for the Amarnath Yatra for the year 2023 on Friday.

Deputy Commissioner Jammu Avny Lavasa said that "An FIR has already been filed in this matter, and a police investigation is also underway."

She also advised the pilgrims to "register only from the official website of Shri Amarnath Shrine Boards or the designated registration counters installed for the purpose."

The Deputy Commissioner further urged the pilgrims "to verify their registration permits to avoid any kind of inconvenience during the holy yatra."

Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir administration busted a racket for issuing fake registration slips to Amarnath pilgrims on Thursday when two buses carrying devotees from the Muzaffarnagar district of Uttar Pradesh reached Jammu.

When the bus carrying 68 Amarnath pilgrims arrived at Shri Chichi Mata Mandir, Samba, for e-KYC verification and the issuance of RFID cards, the fraud came to light, he said.

On verification by the vigilant e-KYC Team of District Samba, led by the District Informatics Officer, it was found that the yatra permits of most of the pilgrims were tampered with, he said.

On further inquiry from the pilgrims and drivers, it revealed that these passengers got permits in exchange for Rs 7000 per head from Rahul Bhardwaj, an agent of Vikas Bus Services operating from Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh.

Under the supervision of Samba District Magistrate Abhishek Sharma and SSP Benam Tosh, the administration immediately swung into action, and the police took cognizance of the incident.

Consequently, an FIR under Sections 420/468 of the IPC has been registered at Police Station Samba.

The 62-day yatra, which commences on July 1 and culminates on August 31, is an important pilgrimage for Hindus who visit the Amarnath Cave, believed to be the abode of Lord Shiva.

The yatra would commence simultaneously from both the Pahalgam track in the Anantnag district and Baltal in the Ganderbal district, giving devotees the option to choose the route that suits them best.

The first batch of pilgrims reached Baltal base camp in Jammu and Kashmir's Ganderbal on Friday for Amarnath Yatra 2023.