New Delhi: Only 250 pilgrims from Jammu Tuesday left for Central Kashmir’s Kheer Bhawani temple in a heavily-protected government convoy — a sharp drop in footfall that comes amid the targeted killings in the Valley. The annual mela at the revered temple, also known as the Ragnya Devi temple, is among the most significant religious programmes for the Kashmiri Pandit community. In 2019, around 2,500-3,000 pilgrims had left for the temple in Ganderbal district’s Tulmulla village from Jammu in government-arranged buses, a senior official said. There was no yatra in 2020 and 2021 owing to the pandemic. On Tuesday, a day before Ashtami — considered the most auspicious day at the temple — only 400-500 pilgrims were present, said sources. In 2019, a total of 20,000-25,000 pilgrims had arrived, said a Kashmiri Pandit leader, King C Bharti.
