Kashmir turn into a virtual fortress for I-Day

August 15, 2016 07:23

Strict security measures are in force in curfew-bound Srinagar ahead of the Independence Day celebrations with large contingents of paramilitary and police personnnel being deployed across the city.

Bakhshi Stadium -- the main venue of the Independence Day function in Jammu and Kashmir -- has been turned into a virtual fortress.

There were no inputs about the possibility of militant attacks to disrupt the celebrations but the security grid is not taking any chances.

Due to the ongoing unrest -- that began on July 9 following killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani, mobile telephony and internet services have already been snapped in the Valley.

In the past, the mobile phone and mobile internet services used to be disabled for few hours during Independence Day and Republic Day celebrations as a precautionary measure to prevent militants from using these devices to trigger explosions.

Curfew has been extended to several places in Kashmir in view of the separatists' call for a march to the heart of Srinagar

even as restrictions on the movement of people remained in rest of the Valley.

Despite curfew, separatists elements managed to hoist Pakistan flags in many localities across Kashmir to mark the Independence Day of the neighbouring country, the official said, adding security forces pulled down the flags as soon as they were noticed.

56 people, including two policemen, have been killed and several thousand others have been injured in the clashes in the Valley that began on July 9.

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