Jammu, July 3 -- Amid chants of 'Bam Bam Bhole' and 'Har Har Mahadev', Jammu and Kashmir lieutenant governor (LG) Manoj Sinha flagged off the first batch of Amarnath pilgrims from Yatri Niwas base camp at Bhagwati Nagar here on Wednesday morning. A total of 5,892 pilgrims in a convoy of 310 vehicles left the base camp amid tight security arrangements. The CRPF's vehicles mounted with automatic weapons escorted the convoy. A total of 3,403 pilgrims comprising 2,647 men, 467 women, eight children,16 transgenders, 200 sadhus and 65 sadhvis left in 144 vehicles for the Pahalgam route and 2,489 pilgrims comprising 1,748 men, 576 women, 23 children, 135 sadhus and seven sadhvis left in 166 vehicles for Baltal routes," said an official at the Bhagwati Nagar base camp. Amid slight drizzle, the exuberant pilgrims blew conch shells and chanted religious hymns. Before flagging off the first batch, LG Sinha performed a puja at the base camp and prayed for peaceful and hassle free conduct of the annual pilgrimage. Sinha said the administration, security forces and others made elaborate arrangements for the pilgrims. "Undeterred by terror incidents, devotees of Bhole Baba are arriving in huge numbers, demonstrating their immense faith. I hope that this year's Yatra will be even more historic than previous years," the LG said. J&K deputy chief minister Surinder Choudhary said the National Conference-led government hopes to greet the Amarnath yatris in a full-fledged state next time. The CRPF has pooled in the highest number (219) of troops in the 581 Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) companies. "There is no fear among us. Pahalgam terror attack of April 22 has failed to dampen our spirit," said Manoj Kumar, 37, a pilgrim from UP's Sitapur. Ram Prasad, 51, from Azamgarh, said, "This is first day of the Yatra and you can see the excitement among devotees of Bhole Baba." Local residents, along with leaders of different political parties and officers of J&K administration welcomed the Amarnath pilgrims who reached the Pahalgam and Baltal base camps Wednesday afternoon. As the yatris crossed the Navyug tunnel and reached Kulgam district, they were welcomed with garlands and flower petals. The locals also carried welcome placards and banners. At Nunwan base camp in Pahalgam, the yatris were welcomed by locals and senior administration officers led by deputy commissioner Anantnag Syed Fakhrudin Hamid. The yatris will leave towards holy cave on Thursday morning. Right from.Navyog tunnel to Pahalgam and Baltal base camps, multi-layered security arrangements were in place and vehicle bound for Pahalgam and Sonmarg were throughly checked. The Srinagar district administration, led by District Development Council chairperson Malik Aftab and officers welcomed them. htc...