SRINAGAR:

Amarnath Yatra pilgrims and tourists have been asked by the Jammu and Kashmir
government to "immediately" cut short their stay in the Kashmir Valley and go back, in
an unprecedented advisory amid intelligence inputs of terror threats. Pilgrims and
tourists have never before, even at the height of militancy, been urged to leave Kashmir,
which has seen a massive build-up of troops over the past week.

"Keeping in view the latest intelligence inputs of terror threats, with specific targeting of
the Amarnath Yatra, and given the prevailing security situation in the Kashmir Valley, in
the interest of safety and security of the tourists and Amarnath Yatris, it is advised that
they may curtail their stay in the valley immediately and take necessary measures to
return as soon as possible," the state government's notice said.

The advisory, which appeared to indicate an exceptional security scenario, set off panic
in Srinagar, where people rushed to ATMs, petrol stations and medicine stores to stock
up. Some waited for hours in queues only to find that fuel was over.

Former state chief ministers Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah both targeted the
central government. Jammu and Kashmir has been under central rule since June last
year.

Ms Mufti said it "seems there's an attempt to end constitutional safeguards provided to

Kashmir". She added that the advisory has created "chaos and panic."