Modi’s Kashmir rally: red alert in Srinagar, youth held with pistols An intense security blanket has been thrown around vital installations across Jammu and Kashmirs Srinagar city and checking has been intensified ahead of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the region thwart any attempt by militants to disrupt the his election rally. The cricket stadium in Sonawar where Modi is scheduled to address his supporters has virtually been sealed by a large contingent of police and paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force troopers, while special check points have been set up at various places within the city and its outskirts, especially the entry points leading to the capital. At a check point near Bakshi Stadium, police arrested three youth including a auto-rickshaw driver after two pistols were allegedly recovered from their possession, a news agency quoted a police officer saying. The news agency didnt mention the names of arrested people. “Police along with other forces, including paramilitary CRPF men, have been deployed in strength around Cricket Stadium, and all the pedestrians, people travelling in vehicles and bikers are being thoroughly frisked” a senior police official said. He said the forces have been put on a red alert. He added that security around all the sensitive and volatile areas across Srinagar have been beefed up to ensure peaceful day on December 8. “CCTVs have been installed at different locations to track down suspects, armored vehicles have been placed at various junctions and frisking at some crucial junctures will continue till the Modi’s rally and subsequent elections in Srinagar are over. People of Srinagar complained that they have to go through security checks and frisking which is irritating them. A number of motorcycles were also seized which were operating without documents in the city. The bikers alleged that they are being harassed and documents are demanded from them despite the facts that floods devastated everything here. “It will still take more than a month for me to prepare documents for my bike. All my documents were lost in floods and yet at every security check point, I am stopped and asked to show the documents,” Fayaz Ahmed a medical representative told CNS and appealed police not to harass bikers unnecessarily. Police this afternoon arrested a youth for allegedly taunting them during a search near Press Enclave. Eyewitnesses said the youth was asked to remove his arms from pheran and put hands up. A report said a journalist who was eyewitness to the incident said the youth removed his pheran (closed cloak) and sarcastically told the police, “Should I remove my pants too” and objected to body frisking. “This made police furious who whisked him away in a jeep,” eyewitnesses said. According to eyewitnesses, the youth before being arrested shouted at the photojournalists saying, “I am from Bandipora”. Heavy security arrangements have been made in city ahead of Prime Minister’s visit to Srinagar on Decemeber 8. Private transporters and passenger vehicles plying on roads within the Srinagar city and the outskirts are also being frisked thoroughly. “Over past few days, we have to face multiple security checks within and outside the Srinagar city which is creating huge inconveniences for us,” said a passenger vehicle driver Abdul Hanif said. A police official on condition of anonymity told the CNS that after the recent grenade attack in city centre Lal Chowk, security agencies don’t want to take any chance and are more vigilant. Reports said that forces and state police have set up check-points at several places in the city, including civil lines, conducting frisking and searching vehicles, particularly two wheelers. “Searching of vehicles, entering the city from outskirts, will be intensified during the next 48 hours to foil any attempt by militants to smuggle in arms and ammunition,” an official said. Almost all resistance groups have called for a general strike on December 8 in Kashmir to protest Modis visit.
Posted on: Thu, 04 Dec 2014 14:37:05 +0000
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