Jammu/UNI: Amid the chants of 'Bam Bam Bhole', the fifth batch of 6597 Shri Amarnath Yatra pilgrims left for the cave shrine in a fleet of 253 vehicles from Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas base camp here on Tuesday.

An official said that a fresh batch of 6,597 pilgrims left the base camp.

He said that 4475 pilgrims, including 3,294 males, 1,008 females, 15 children, 149 sadhus, and nine sadhvis, left for Pahalgam in a convoy of 160 vehicles.

He further added that 2122 pilgrims, comprising 1681 males, 421 females, 18 children, and two sadhus, left in a fleet of 93 vehicles for the Baltal base camp.

The security personnel escorted the Yatra convoy.

Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha flagged off the first batch of Yatri Niwas Jammu on June 30.