Srinagar: With seven civilians killed in a week, the police and civil administration has beefed up deployment of security forces, erected barricades and checkpoints, and increased surveillance across Srinagar city.

The security arrangements are of the kind usually seen ahead of January 26 and August 15 in Kashmir.

Multiple parties of security forces have also carried out raids in various areas. In Rainawari in downtown Srinagar, many areas were cordoned off when government forces arrested a local resident. At one wedding function, a local said, the forces even asked them to not venture out until the search was over.

“So we stayed inside. The searches ended late at night,” the local resident said.

The government has also asked many persons to limit their public movement as a precaution.

This year at least 27 civilians have been killed, 21 of them Muslims, but the recent killings have been of non-Muslims, which has prompted the Sikh community to take out street protests and some members of the Pandit community to leave Kashmir.

A militant has also been killed in an encounter in Srinagar while another managed to escape after the two militants tried to attack a police party in Natipora area. Militants also managed to escape from another place in Srinagar after they were surrounded by government forces.

Police are also carrying out surprise visits to markets during the day time. At Sarai Payeen, police officers have been leading flag marches during the day in the past few days.

Reader correspondent