After horrendous experience, Amarnath pilgrims from Mangalore cut-short tour

After horrendous experience, Amarnath pilgrims from Mangalore cut-short tour

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, July 23, 2014:  Pilgrims from Mangalore who had  gone on an Amarnath Yatra  recently, had a harrowing experience when they were terrorised by ultras. The pilgrims are now returning after cutting short their Yatra,Prashanth of Kinnigoli  has been  a regular pilgrim to Amarnath Yatra along with his friends since the past 19 years.

 

 

Even this year  he  had set out on the Yatra along with Vishwanath, Umesh, Ranjan of Mangalore, Ganesh of Karkala, Sudarshan of Padubidri and Lakshmisha of Bantakal. However, they are now returning to Mangalore after being  terrorized by the ultras on July 18, Friday.

Their team which  at the  base camp at Battal    was taking a horse ride as is the custom to proceed further when they got information about the disturbance and stoning. They then returned to their base camp where  there is a Langar facility of offering free tee and snacks to the pilgrims. When they went to have tea,  they were  stoned and  the Langar owner asked them to  remain in the room. The group saw youngsters with machetes, stones and rods in their hands.

The miscreants vandalised the Langar and even barged into the room where Prashanth and his group was staying and asked them not to be afraid. They then enquired about the Langar owner. When Prashanth said they were unaware, the ultras left the place.

 Later, Prashanth and his team left towards their tent as per the instructions of CRPF men. Within seconds as many as 25 to 30 cylinders exploded  and almost all the thousand tents excluding two tents including the one in which they were staying  were reduced to ashes. “Our laptop and all goods were taken away by the ultras. What was left with us were just  two mobile phones,”says Prashanth.

The Prashanth team is now returning home town after lodging a complaint at Jammu. Prashanth says this is the first time in the past 18 years that they had a horrendous experience during the Yatra.