Jammu, April 25 -- Following the Pahalgam terror attack, security has been beefed up at Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra.

Reasi senior superintendent of police Paramvir Singh said, "We have upped the security and we are on an alert. We are doing everything within available resources including random checking to ensure foolproof security."

According to an estimate, 11,000 ponywallas, palanquin owners and pithuwallas, ferry pilgrims to the cave shrine and back to Ban Ganga. While Katra sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Piyush Dhotra issued them registration cards, verification of their credentials was done by police and the staff of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board.

"There are around 11,000 pithuwallas, ponywallas and palanquin owners....