NL Correspondent
SRINAGAR: The security has been tightened across the valley on eve of Independence Day here.
The security forces in Kashmir fear disturbance by militants and Hurriyat groups on August 15 with police and CRPF having put their men on high alert.
Police have launched a massive crackdown against stone pelters and tightened security to ensure peaceful Independence Day functions in Kashmir valley.
Perturbed by incidents of stone pelting, police sources, said scores of stone pelters have been arrested in view of the August 15 to ensure peaceful Independence Day celebrations in Kashmir. “In the last few days, the J&K police have detained scores of youth from central, south and north Kashmir,” a senior police official said.
He said this has been done as a precautionary measure and these stone pelters may be released after August 15. “We don't want any untoward incident happen on the August 15.”
The official, said there were apprehensions that some miscreants may try to disrupt the law and order on eve of August 15. “We are vigilant and have launched crackdown against those miscreants,” the police official said. He said some miscreants have become habitual of stone-pelting and police is going to take action against those stone-pelters. “Our patrolling is on, ambushes are in place and CCTV surveillance has been enhanced,” a top police official said.
To avert any untoward incident, the J&K Police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) have stepped up round-the-clock patrolling in the city to keep an eye on the situation. In Kashmir, the main Independence Day celebrations will be held at the Bakshi Stadium in Srinagar and the Police and CRPF have already started sanitizing the areas around the stadium. A police officer associated with the security around the Bakshi stadium, said they had carried out many search operations around the stadium. “Various nakas have been placed on the roads leading to the stadium to ensure a peaceful Independence Day,” said the officer. He said a thick three-tier security cover would be thrown around the stadium in the coming days.
Sources said the security forces have reviewed the security situation in Down Town and has asked CRPF officers and police to remain vigilant and alert and to take adequate measures to prevent injuries to CRPF men.
“CRPF is effectively dealing various, law and order problems, protests and stone pelting effectively, without use of any lethal force, despite severe provocation and grievous injuries to CRPF men,” a CRPF official said.
