NEW DELHI, INDIA, July 1, 2003: About 100,000 Hindus have registered for the annual Amarnath pilgrimage Kashmir, despite the threat of militant attacks. Each year tens of thousands of Hindus from around the world head to Amarnath, located in the foothills of the Himalayas, for a month-long pilgrimage, which this year begins on July 12. The state government has regulated the numbers of pilgrims since 1996, when more than 200 people died because of bad weather. The government is also making elaborate safety arrangements because of the possibility of terrorist attacks. Eight pilgrims were killed and 27 injured last year when rebels attacked a camp, despite heavy security.
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