JAMMU: Braving heavy rain, a fresh batch of more than 3,500 pilgrims left Jammu for the Amarnath cave shrine in the south Kashmir Himalayas amid tight security in the early hours of Tuesday, officials said.

Over 3 lakh pilgrims have visited the 3,880-metre-high shrine of Lord Shiva, which houses a naturally formed ice lingam, since the pilgrimage began on July 3

Escorted by Central Reserve Police Force and police personnel, the 20th batch of 3,536 pilgrims 2,601 men, 822 women, 11 children and 102 sadhus and sadhvis left the Bhagwati Nagar base camp here in 132 vehicles between 3:33 am and 4:09 am, the officials said.

The first pilgrim convoy, carrying 1,250 pilgrims in 48 vehicles, left for the shorter but steeper 14-km Baltal route in Ganderbal district. The second convoy of 2,286 pilgrims in 84 vehicles undertook the yatra via the traditional 48-km Pahalgam route in Anantnag district, they said.

With this, a total of 1,27,541 pilgrims have departed from the Jammu base camp for the valley since July 2, when Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha flagged off the first batch.

The number of pilgrims undertaking the yatra has witnessed a decline over the past few days.

While 7,908 pilgrims left in the 16th batch on July 18, 6,365 left in the 17th batch on July 19.

On July 20, 4,388 pilgrims left in the 18th batch and 3,791 pilgrims left in the 19th batch on July 21. Tuesday's batch was the smallest so far.

According to the officials, on-the-spot registration for the pilgrimage has been closed due to the drop in footfall of pilgrims. The registration will now be done at the Bhagwati Nagar base camp.

More than 4 lakh people have registered online for the pilgrimage so far. Last year, over 5.10 lakh pilgrims paid obeisance at the cave shrine.

The 38-day pilgrimage will conclude on August 9.