Jammu, July 2: Another batch of Yatris left Jammu for the Valley as the annual Amarnath Yatra begins officially on Thursday, officials said.

Officials added that the second batch of 5,246 pilgrims left Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas on the Canal Road in Jammu for the Valley in two escorted convoys on Thursday.

“Of these, 1,993 Yatris are going to Baltal base camp while 3,253 are going to Pahalgam base camp,” officials said.

The 36-day long Amarnath Yatra begins on Thursday as the first batch of Yatris left Baltal base camp for the holy cave shrine in the morning.

Other Yatris of the first batch left Pahalgam for the cave shrine in the morning.

On their arrival in the Valley on Wednesday, locals belonging to civil society, trade and other sections of the society lined up with garlands and placards at the Navyug Tunnel in Qazigund town to welcome the Yatris.

Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha, on Wednesday, flagged off the first batch of Yatris for this year’s Amarnath Yatra from Jammu.

Unprecedented security is being provided to this year’s Amarnath Yatra as this is taking place after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 civilians were killed by Pakistan-backed Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) terrorists.

Additional 180 companies of CAPFs have been deployed to augment the existing security set-up comprising the Army, security forces and the Jammu and Kashmir Police.

Yatris have been advised to undertake the journey from Jammu to the Valley only as part of the escorted convoys and not to move separately towards the base camps on their own.

The Yatra officially started on Thursday and will conclude after 36 days on August 9, coinciding with the festivals of Shravan Purnima and Raksha Bandhan.

Devotees approach the holy cave shrine situated 3,888 metres above the sea level either from the traditional Pahalgam route or the shorter Baltal route.

Those using the Pahalgam route trek from Pahalgam to Chandanwati, Sheshnag and Panchtarni to reach the holy cave shrine taking four days to cover the 46-km long trek.

Those using the Baltal route return to the base camp the same day after having ‘Darshan’ inside the cave shrine covering the 14-km long trek.

For security reasons, no helicopter services are available for the Yatris this year.

The cave shrine houses an ice stalagmite structure that wanes and waxes with the phases of the moon.

Devotees believe that the ice stalagmite structure symbolises the mythical powers of Lord Shiva.

Locals are an essential part of the Yatra as they facilitate the Yatra by providing ponies, palkis and even carry the infirm pilgrims on their back to reach the cave shrine.

Chennai, July 3: In a major step towards improving sanitation and hygiene infrastructure, the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has floated a tender worth Rs 96 lakh to upgrade and renovate toilets, water supply, and drainage systems across its schools and urban primary health centres (UPHCs).

The initiative, part of the broader Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) campaign and the Integrated Urban Flood Management for the Chennai-Kosasthalaiyar Basin Project, aims to enhance the cleanliness and safety standards in public institutions, particularly those catering to children and vulnerable communities.

According to GCC officials, the project will cover 66 Corporation-run schools and seven UPHCs. The scope of work includes constructing 49 new toilets, repairing six existing toilets, installing 37 new urinals, undertaking plumbing and drainage work for drinking water systems, and setting up 108 new hand-washing stations.

Additionally, the civic body plans to introduce reverse osmosis (RO) drinking water units and hand-wash facilities in 17 UPHCs spread across the city limits.

Officials stated that these improvements are crucial to ensuring good hygiene, especially in densely populated urban areas prone to waterborne diseases.

“The goal is to create a hygienic and safe environment for students and patients alike. These facilities will not only improve sanitation but also contribute to better public health outcomes,” a senior GCC official said.

The tender stipulates that the contractor must follow the specifications and guidelines of the Central Public Works Department (CPWD).

The scope of services includes electrical, sanitary, and all related civil works. The GCC has set a deadline of 549 days from the date of commencement to complete all works.

The contractor is required to submit a detailed project execution plan — including procurement, excavation, concreting schedule, and quality control — within 10 days of signing the agreement. This plan will require formal approval before on-ground work begins.

The civic body hopes that the WASH upgrades will serve as a model for future infrastructure projects in government-run schools and health centres, enhancing Chennai’s preparedness against health crises and urban flooding events.

This initiative comes at a time when the city is focused on improving its resilience through better urban planning, especially in the wake of repeated monsoon challenges and increasing demand for quality public services.

New Delhi, July 2: A 21-year-old man was arrested in Delhi’s Palam village for allegedly harassing a college student by creating fake Instagram accounts and using artificial intelligence (AI) tools to generate objectionable content.

The accused was persistently stalking and defaming the victim, a college-going girl, through multiple fake Instagram profiles, Amit Goel, Deputy Commissioner of Police, South West District, said in a statement.

The complainant approached the Cyber Police Station, West District, on June 16, reporting that the accused was daily creating new accounts using her photographs, posting them with derogatory captions, and targeting her and her followers.

Acting on the complaint, the police registered a case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

“In view of the seriousness of the matter, a dedicated team led by SI Priyanka was formed to identify and apprehend the accused,” the statement added.

A team of PS Cyber, South-West District, arrested the notorious cyber stalker and recovered the smartphone used in the commission of the offence, the statement read.

During the investigation, it came to the fore that the accused was impersonating a female using a profile picture taken from the victim’s public Instagram account, the police said.

The police said the accused further used AI tools to convert the images into sexually explicit content and uploaded these edited pictures through fake Instagram stories.

Despite efforts to mask his identity by not linking any accounts to verifiable mobile numbers or Gmail IDs, the cyber team used advanced technical analysis to track the suspect to the Palam area of South-West Delhi. Multiple raids were conducted before he was successfully arrested.

The accused, whose identity has been withheld, confessed to the crime during interrogation, the police statement read.

Further investigation is underway.