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JAMMU, KASHMIR, INDIA, JULY 27, 2003: Authorities on Saturday decided to upgrade the security cover for the pilgrimage to the holy shrine of Mata Vaishnodevi, set atop 3,500-feet-high Trikuta Hills, in the wake of the July 21 terrorist strike at Banganga that left six pilgrims killed and 48 injured. A high-level meeting, which reviewed the security for the pilgrimage, decided to strengthen the security set-up in the entire route from the base camp at Katra to the shrine, official sources said. The meeting, chaired by Jammu Divisional Commander L. D. Jah, decided to erect more security pickets in Trikutha hills, besides deploying additional forces to plug the gaps in the security cover of the 13-km route from Katra to the shrine, they said. In view of militants carrying out suicide attacks in combat dresses and uniforms, the meeting decided not to allow people in uniforms to have darshan at the Shrine, they said. Round-the-clock surveillance and patrolling of all high-altitude places in Katra town as well as those en route to the shrine would be intensified and multiple check points would be set up, the sources said.

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