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Kashmir prepares for Jan 26 with more guns & grenades

Mukhtar Ahmad in Srinagar

Unprecedented security arrangements are in place for the Repulic Day celebration in Kashmir, a senior police official told rediff.com.

This is in answer to the threat from various militant groups that they would disrupt the January 26 function.

"We have taken extraordinary steps to ensure that the militants do not succeed in their attempts," the officer said. "Foolproof arrangements are already in place."

The Bakshi stadium, where the main function is to be held, has been taken over by the paramilitary and police troops. All roads to it have been sealed. Sandbagged bunkers, manned by personnel with machine guns, have sprung up all around.

The police said that commandos will take over the security of the stadium on January 26. The areas around are being repeatedly searched for the last one week and all vehicles moving in the vicinity throughly checked.

If needed army troops will also be deployed around the stadium, the police official added.

There is much tension in Srinagar city, what with mounting security arrangements and the recent militant attacks on high security areas. The Border Security Force and local police have rounded up 200-odd suspects in combing operations.

In addition, released militants have been asked to present themselves before security forces.

Despite these measures, security authorities are worried about the possibility of militants firing rockets and grenades at the venue. Last year, militants had twice fired grenades from concealed guns at the heavily gurarded civil secretrait.

"The recent suicidal attacks have added a new dimension to the situation here," a worried official admitted to rediff.com.

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