(MENAFN- Kashmir Observer) Jammu- The fresh batch of over 2,300 pilgrims left a base camp here on Saturday to offer prayers at the 3,880-meter high holy cave shrine of Amarnath in south Kashmir Himalayas, officials said.

Over 3.60 lakh pilgrims have so far visited the cave shrine since the commencement of the 38-day long yatra on July 3.

However, the footfall at the shrine has started decreasing over the past few days with the melting of the naturally formed ice-shivlingam.

Escorted by the police and CRPF personnel, the 24th batch of 2,324 pilgrims, including 377 women and 51 Sadhus and Sadhvis, left Jammu's Bhagwati Nagar base camp in 92 vehicles for the twin base camps in Kashmir between 3.25 am and 3.45 am, the officials said.

The first convoy, carrying 741 pilgrims in 34 vehicles, left for the shorter but steeper 14-km Baltal route in Ganderbal district, followed by the second convoy of 1,583 pilgrims in 58 vehicles who are undertaking the yatra via the 48-km traditional Pahalgam route in Anantnag district, they said.

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With this, a total of 1,39,098 pilgrims have departed from the Jammu base camp for the valley since July 2 when Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha flagged off the first batch.

The pilgrimage is scheduled to end on August 9, coinciding with the festival of Raksha Bandhan.

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