Srinagar: After weeks of speculations, the Annual Amarnath Yatra has been finally cancelled due to rise in Covid-19 cases all over the country, including Jammu and Kashmir.

An official spokesperson said the decision to cancel the pilgrimage to the 3,880-metre-high holy cave shrine in South Kashmir Himalayas was taken during a meeting of Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB), on Tuesday.

“The health concerns are so serious that the strain on the health system, along with the diversion in resources to the Yatra, will be immense. This would also unnecessarily put the Yatris at risk of catching the Covid-19,” he said.