Watch: ITBP personnel guard Amarnath pilgrims from shooting stones on the journey
The stones, often dislodged by waterfalls, come bouncing down the snow-covered slopes and can cause serious injury.
ITBP personnel braving shooting stones at a snow slope by placing Shield wall to ensure safe passage of #Amarnath Yatris on Baltal route.#Himveers pic.twitter.com/fVSIYEzn8x
— ITBP (@ITBP_official) July 4, 2019
In a video from the annual Amarnath yatra that is under way in Jammu & Kashmir, the soldiers of the Indo-Tibet Border Police force were seen shielding the pilgrims from stones bouncing down a snow-covered slope on the way to the shrine.
The pilgrims were seen crossing the area while the ITBP officials stood with their shields facing the falling stones, often dislodged by waterfalls, preventing the pilgrims from getting hurt. The incident was reported from the Baltal segment of the Amarnath trek.
A similar scene was recorded near a “high altitude waterfall point” on the same route, with the ITBP officials protecting the pilgrims from shooting stones.
ITBP personnel guarding the moving yatries from shooting stones on a foot bridge from a high altitude waterfall point on Baltal route of #AmarnathYatra pic.twitter.com/LkOsthMnXN
— ITBP (@ITBP_official) July 5, 2019
The 46-day-long annual Amarnath Yatra was flagged off on July 1 and will end on August 15. This year, over 1.5 lakh pilgrims have registered for the annual holy trek so far.
