Govt set to celebrate Jan 26 functions amid tight security vigil

Srinagar: Amid tight security vigil, January 26 functions will be organized all across Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday.
A police official said all arrangements have been made to celebrate Republic Day function all across Kashmir and to conduct these functions smoothly and peacefully; police and security personnel have been put on high alert.
The two major functions will be held in twin capitals of the State, Srinagar and Jammu, where the contingents of police, paramilitary troopers, young cadets and school children will march past the Indian flag and stage performances to mark celebrations.
The security has been beefed up all across State days before the celebrations to keep militants at bay from disrupting the official functions. Highly trained commandoes have been deployed in and around Cricket Stadium Sonwar to keep a strict vigil there. Various official residential houses located around Bakshi Stadium have been occupied by security personnel while various security personnel were seen patrolling on the roof tops of these houses.
Police and paramilitary troopers have been deployed on the roads across State in full strength and bullet proof bunkers have also been erected in the middle of the roads outside venues of official functions to sabotage any attack. The road leading towards Cricket Stadium Sonwar has already been closed for public.
Sources said that the mobile telephone services across the region will be jammed till Satruday afternoon as a security measure to prevent militants from using mobile phones to trigger explosive devices or pass on information. The connectivity according to sources will be restored late afternoon after the culmination of the official functions.
Reports said that on Friday police and security personnel conducted surprise checking in different parts of Kashmir Valley. Bikers and pedestrians were frisked while at number of places in Srinagar city the identity cards of suspected persons were thoroughly checked. Reports said that scores of bikes have been seized by police from past couple of days. A top police official said that major security arrangements are in place. “Security apparatus are in place to thwart any untoward incident,” he said.