Over 1,700 pilgrims leave Jammu base camp for Amarnath

More than 1,700 pilgrims departed from a base camp early on Saturday to visit the Amarnath shrine in the south Kashmir Himalayas, amid heightened security. Over 4.45 lakh pilgrims have already visited the ice lingam at the 3,880-metre high cave shrine, officials said. The pilgrim footfall at the shrine is expected to surpass last year's total of 4.5 lakh later in the day.