Srinagar: Security was tightened Monday in this summer capital and other major towns of the Valley in run up to January 26 .
Paramilitary CRPF personnel and police have been deployed in strength for R-day functions across the Valley, official sources told Kashmir Reader Monday.
A contingent of troopers and policemen carried out day long searches outside the Civil Secretariat. The forces thoroughly checked private and public vehicles and frisked the people. Security on the January 26 has also been strengthened in other parts of the city particularly Lal Chowk and its adjoining areas.
A heavy posse of policemen equipped with automatic rifles and bullet proof gear has been deployed around the historic Ganta Ghar, Jehangir Chowk, Budshah Chowk, Maisuma, Hari Singh High Street, SK Park, Dalgate and other areas of the city to prevent any untoward incident.
Similar scenes were witnesses at TRC, Maisuma, and other parts of the uptown city. The searches were also carried by the forces in many parts of the downtown.
Sources told Kashmir Reader that the movement of people is also monitored through the Close Circuit Television Cameras (CCTVs) that are installed at various places in the city. Besides it, they said sniffer dogs and bomb disposal squad have also been kept on standby to ensure peaceful conduct of R-day celebrations across the Valley.
The police also carried out surprise check of the vehicles on the entry and exit points in this capital city. Security around vital installations has also been beefed up apprehending militant attacks to disrupt the January 26celebrations
The forces have also collected the information about the occupants in the residential houses adjacent to the Bakshi Stadium. Several hotels situated around the main venue are also under scanner.
“A police team came to the hotel Sunday morning and collected the details of the occupants. They also asked us to furnish the details of the staff. They also enquired from us about the bookings between January 25-26,” said an hotelier, wishing not to be named.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Srinagar, Amit Kumar told Kashmir Reader that adequate security arrangements have been put in place for the smooth conduct of January 26 celebrations.
“The security forces have been asked to remain alert. We’ll be reviewing the security measures regularly,” he said.
Meanwhile, reports of heightened security have also been received from twin districts of Baramulla and Kupwara of north Kashmir in view of January 26.
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. Surprise checks were also carried out at Khwaja bagh, Narbal, Pattan and Sangrama areas of the district.
Reports of heightened security were also received from Pulwama, Shopian and Islamabad districts of South Kashmir, where troops and police manned the streets and the highway to keep a close watch on the movement of suspicious persons.
Both factions of Hurriyat Conference, Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) and other pro-freedom groups have called for a complete shutdown l to protest the January 26 celebrations in the state.

Reader correspondent