1,342 pilgrims leave for Amarnath

 Jammu: A fresh batch of 1,342 pilgrims today left for the cave shrine of Amarnath in south Kashmir Himalayas amidst tight security. The batch comprising 909 men, 312 women, 24 children and 97 others left in a cavalcade of 38 vehicles from Bhagwati Nagar base camp here at 4.50 AM, a police official said. The convoy has already reached Patnitop on the Jammu- Srinagar National Highway. With today’s batch, as many as 37,265 pilgrims have so far left from the Jammu base camp for the 3,888 metres cave shrine.