Amarnath Yatra is one of the most important religious pilgrimages that Hindus undertake every year. The cave temple is situated in Jammu and Kashmir and every year gets a host of devotees. In order to go on such yatras, devotees need proper permission from authorities beforehand. However, this year an unfortunate piece of news has come to light. It seems that a number of people were hustled by some travel agencies. Here are the details.
Amarnath Yatra: More That 400 Pilgrims Scammed
Every year, thousands of pilgrims make their way to the cave temple in Jammu and Kashmir in order to pay their respects and fulfil their spiritual needs. In order to do this, one requires proper permits from the authorities.
This year, however, authorities have found that around 430 pilgrims were scammed and given fake permits. According to an article recently published by ABP news, close to 365 people were discovered carrying fake documents at the entry points in Lakhanpur and Jammu in the Kathua district.
Around 68 pilgrims were discovered carrying inauthentic documents in the Samba district. According to the article, many of the pilgrims, who primarily were from Uttar Pradesh, were duped by the travel agencies they used in order to acquire permits.
Also Read: No Pizza Or Burger For Amarnath Yatra Pilgrims! Here’s An Entire List Of Banned Food Items.
Police Investigation Underway
According to Avny Lavasa, who is the Deputy Commissioner of Jammu, a First Information Report or FIR has already been filed with the police and investigations are underway. In order to avoid being duped by scammers, she also advised that people should only register for the Yatra via the official government website.
Upon inquiry, the name ‘Rahul Bhardwaj’ surfaced. He is a resident of Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh and is behind many of the fraudulent documents. Many pilgrims who were discovered with false documents alleged that he took ₹7,000 per head for the documents.
Authorities have also stated that the people behind this scam will not go unpunished and the strictest actions will be taken against them.
Also Read: Amarnath Yatra Temporarily Suspended Between Panchtarni And Cave Due To Rains
Have you ever been on the Amarnath Yatra? Let us know in the comments below!
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