Srinagar: Security forces have recovered a Pakistan-made mine and a massive cache of arms from along the Amarnath Yatra route, the Army said on Friday (August 2).

According to reports, searches were launched along the pilgrimage route after specific intelligence claimed that Pakistan-based terrorists might target the Yatra using improvised explosive devices and attack pilgrims, Lt Gen Sarabjit Singh Dhillon said in a joint briefing by security forces in Srinagar.

"The forces launched a massive operation along the Amarnath Yatra route, during which a huge a cache of arms was recovered, and it included a mine with a Pakistan Ordnance Factory stamp and an American sniper rifle M-24," he said.

Also, the Amarnath Yatra pilgrims and tourists were asked to leave Kashmir immediately, amid specific security threat to them. Indian Army blames Pakistan for trying to "disrupt peace".

Dhillon refused to give the exact location from where the recovery was made as the search operation was still going on.

He said the threat of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in Jammu and Kashmir is more "pronounced" in the hinterland even as the situation along the Line of Control (LoC) remains "largely peaceful".

"Pakistan-based terrorists are making regular infiltration attempts, but the Army is thwarting their bids at the LoC," he said.

On the reports of additional troops being sent to the Valley, Jammu and Kashmir DGP Dilbag Singh said security personnel were on regular duty during the year because of elections, among others, with no time to relax.

He said there were also "fresh inputs of increase in violence by terrorists" which made it necessary to "strengthen the counterintelligence grid" on the ground.

Refusing to give the exact number of additional troops being sent to the Valley, Singh said they would provide on-ground troops some time to relax and strengthen the security system.