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Alarmed over the reports that militants might go in for suicide attacks or trigger blasts, security forces have been put on a high alert across the valley even as the Hurriyat Conference, a conglomerate of 23 secessionist parties, called for a general strike on August 15.
In Srinagar, where the main function will be held, the Border Security Force is in the forefront of making security arrangements at the Bakshi stadium, which has witnessed attacks in the past on the day.
"BSF has taken stringent security measures to thwart any militant designs to sabotage I-Day celebrations," Deputy Inspector General of the force R P Singh said on Monday.
Singh said BSF personnel had taken vantage positions around the Bakshi stadium and sniffer dogs have been pressed into service to detect any explosives in and around the area.
The main roads leading to the stadium have been closed for vehicular traffic since Sunday.
Similar restrictions have been placed on the movement of private vehicles on routes around vital installations.
He said the presence of about 25 foreign militants belonging to various Pakistan-based mercenary groups has posed a challenge with reports that they have planned major strikes along with local militants in the city.
However, the BSF officer said his force is fully prepared to take up the challenge and have launched a special drive in close co-ordination with local police and Central Reserve Police Force to neutralise the militants.
Security forces, in close coordination with the local police, were carrying out house-to-house searches to neutralise the militants and thwart their nefarious plans, he said.
The drive has resulted in the killing of some hardcore militants and arrest of a number of them in the past few weeks, he said.
Former militants have been asked to report to the nearest police station or security camp, where they would be detained till August 15, official sources said.
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