With less than a week left for Republic Day, security forces have intensified search and cordon operations to thwart any militant plans.
SRINAGAR: With less than a week left for Republic Day, security forces have intensified search and cordon operations across Kashmir valley to thwart any militant plans to disrupt the celebrations, official sources said.
Security forces have erected barriers all around Bakshi Stadium as part of an exercise to prevent militants from getting a peep at the main venue of celebrations, the sources said.
The roads around the venue would be sealed tomorrow to ensure trouble free celebrations, they added.
Tight security arrangements are being made around Bakshi stadium, venue of the main Republic Day celebrations, and other vital installations across the valley for the smooth conduct of the celebrations, the sources said.
Besides the traditional cordon and search operations around the venues of Republic Day celebrations and checking of vehicles in the city, the forces are also using electronic sureveillance to keep an eye on suspicious persons in the city.
Security forces have installed CCTV cameras at busy market areas and sensitive installations in view of frequent grenade attacks in the past.
All necessary precautions have been taken to thwart the designs of militants to create trouble on the occasion, they said.
Additional deployment of para-military and police personnel, about eight battalions, would be carried out in and around the vital installations to thwart the designs of the militants, the sources said.
A senior security officer said militants have been using the low risk option of hit and run by hurling a grenade. "We have to think a step ahead of them which is why we have introduced the surprise frisking."
"Security arrangements are normally beefed up on the basis of intelligence inputs gathered by various agencies but we do not want to take any chance on the eve of either the Republic Day or Independence Day as any minor blast gets them the cheap publicity and symbolic presence they need for their survival," he said.
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