Amarnath Yatra: J-K Police seeks over 22,000 add'l personnel

New Delhi: The Jammu and Kashmir Police has sought around 22,500 additional paramilitary personnel for deployment along the entire route of the Amarnath pilgrimage, for which multi-tier security arrangements will be put in place, officials said on Sunday.

The pilgrimage to the shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas begins on June 28.

Tracking of pilgrims' movement through satellites, installation of jammers, CCTV cameras and bulletproof bunkers, deployment of dog squads and quick reaction teams will be part of the security drill along pilgrimage routes.

The heightened security arrangements will be put in place with the involvement of the Army, paramilitary forces and the Jammu and Kashmir Police in view of an analysis by security agencies which suggested vulnerability of pilgrims, an official privy to the development said. The J&K Police is seeking additional 225 companies of paramilitary forces for deployment along the pilgrimage route. These forces will join the the existing forces operating in J&K. A company of paramilitary comprises 100 personnel. Home Minister Rajnath Singh has reviewed security arrangements for the Amaranth yatra during his two-day visit to J&K last week.