A fresh batch of 7,053 Amarnath pilgrims left the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu on July 23 for the twin base camps in Ganderbal district but over half of them were forced to return due to highway closure, officials said.
The pilgrims left in 243 vehicles escorted by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), they said.
As many as 2,504 pilgrims headed to the Baltal base camp were the first to leave in 88 vehicles, followed by the second convoy of 155 vehicles carrying 4,649 pilgrims to the Pahalgam base camp, the officials said.
