KO File Photo: Abid Bhat
Srinagar: Surprise checks, rampant frisking and identification checks were held Friday in most parts of the Kashmir Valley on the eve of I-day, amid apprehensions of militant strikes to disrupt the celebrations.
Police and CRPF personnel further intensified the security apparatus in Srinagar and other parts of Valley to ensure trouble free August 15 celebrations after a militant attack early Friday morning left two cops dead and another injured in Nowgam here, reports said.
Forces, reports said conducted surprise checks and identification parades at many parts of the city to keep a close watch on the activities of the suspicious persons.
Here in this capital city, scores of mobile bunkers have popped up, where people are being subjected to frisking and identification checks, reports said.
Reports said heavy deployments have also been made in uptown Batmaloo, Hari Singh High Street, Jehangir Chowk, Qamarwari, Rambagh, Maisuma and other areas to meet any possible protests or militant attacks. Posse of policemen in full battle gear has been deployed around the historic Ganta Ghar, Budshah Chowk, SK Park, M A Road, Dalgate and other areas of the city to prevent any untoward incident on I-day.
At M A link road, forces conducted daylong searches and subjected the people to frisking and identity checks. Similar reports were received from other parts of this capital city.
SK Cricket Stadium, the main venue of August 15 celebrations has virtually been turned into a fortress. Three tier security has been thrown around the venue, where newly appointed Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha will hoist tricolour and take salute of I-day parade, an official told Kashmir Observer.
He said CRPF and policemen have been deployed in and around the venue to ensure incident free I-day.
“The movement of people is also being constantly monitored through the close circuit cameras (CCTVs) that are installed at various places in the city. Besides it sniffer dogs and bomb disposal squad have also been kept on standby to ensure peaceful conduct of I-day celebrations,” the official said.
Ariel surveillance is also being maintained with the help of UAVs, he said.
According to witnesses, security has also been beefed up across downtown Srinagar. The forces at Rainawari, Nowhatta, Khanyar and other places of the downtown were seen frisking the people and subjecting them to identification checks. The police also carried out surprise check of the vehicles on all the entry and exit points in this capital city.
Security has also been beefed along the 300-km Srinagar-Jammu highway to foil any possible militant attack. Sensitive stretches of the highway from Pampore to Khanabal has been covered with thick blanket of security. Alert cops and paramilitaries holding automatic rifles are closely monitoring the movement of people.
Meanwhile, reports of heightened security have also been received from Baramulla, Bandipora and Kupwara districts of north Kashmir.
In Baramulla and Sopore, police and troops were seen carrying out searches of all the passenger and private vehicles on the Kupwara-Baramulla and Baramulla-Srinagar highway. Similar reports poured in from Shopian, Anantnag and Kulgam districts
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