People throng to Chamliyal shrine in JK's Samba

Hundreds of people from various parts of north India on Friday thronged the Chamliyal shrine located along the International Border (IB) in Jammu and Kashmir's Samba district for an annual fair.

There was no traditional exchange of ''shakkar and sharbat'' with Pakistan as had been the case in the past five years.

The famous fair at the shrine of Baba Dalip Singh Manhas, a saint popularly known as Baba Chamliyal, was cancelled following the killing of four BSF personnel in an unprovoked firing by Pakistani Rangers in 2018.

''There is a tradition that BSF will offer the first chadar at the shrine of Baba Dalip Singh Manhas. So accordingly, we offered a chadar at his samadhi. All BSF personnel of the battalion were present here at that time,'' commandant of 148th battalion of BSF Kamal Rawat told reporters.

Samba Deputy Commissioner Abhishek Sharma said the fair witnessed unprecedented rush as devotees from different parts of Jammu and Kashmir and neighbouring states came all the way to pay obeisance at the shrine.

He said that all arrangements have been put in place for the convenience of devotees visiting the shrine.