J-Ok: Pilgrims protest, try to march in the direction of Vaishno Devi shrine amid yatra suspension

Katra/Jammu: Because the pilgrimage to Mata Vaishno Devi shrine atop Trikuta hills remained suspended for the twentieth day owing to inclement climate, a gaggle of pilgrims staged a protest at Katra base camp in Reasi district on Sunday, officers mentioned.

Nevertheless, police foiled their repeated try to interrupt the safety cordon and undertake the yatra in violation of the shrine board directive.

The pilgrimage was suspended on August 26, hours earlier than a significant landslide hit the route resulting in the shrine that resulted within the loss of life of 34 pilgrims and accidents to twenty others.
The shrine board had introduced to renew the yatra from September 14 however needed to change the choice attributable to security considerations owing to incessant rains all alongside the monitor and the sanctum sanctorum since Friday.

Some pilgrims together with girls gathered at Banganga Darshani gate, the place to begin of the yatra, in Katra city on Sunday and raised slogans like ‘Jai Mata Di' and tried to maneuver forward on the monitor to pay obeisance on the hilltop shrine.

Nevertheless, police power deployed in power didn't permit them to proceed forward regardless of their repeated makes an attempt for a number of hours through the day, the officers mentioned, including that the devotees had been later persuaded to disperse after exhausting persuasion. “I've reached Katra strolling barefoot over the previous two months and I need to provide my prayers on the shrine as quickly as potential,” mentioned Rajiv Lodhi, a resident of Madhya Pradesh, requesting the shrine board to restart the yatra whether or not it means sending the pilgrims in small batches. Chennai native Vinod Kumar mentioned he alongside along with his household reached Katra on Friday and was completely satisfied concerning the resumption of the yatra to fulfil our want to pay obeisance on the shrine.

“I got here to know that the yatra was suspended once more, leaving everybody current right here dissatisfied,” he mentioned, including “we all know they've taken the choice to droop the yatra for our security however we can not prolong our keep for extra days.”

In the meantime, Rekha from Mumbai was determined and emotionally overwhelmed.

“We have no idea something and we're forcibly going to finish our yatra, no matter the price,” she mentioned and requested “if the yatra was suspended, why have they opened the net registration”.

Raj Kumar Jha, one other pilgrim from Bihar, mentioned they've reached Katra on the decision of the Mata and “we are going to go away solely after performing darshan”.