Speaking to reporters after the full dress rehearsal at Bakshi Stadium here on Thursday, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir, Vidhi Kumar Birdi, said security rehearsals had been carried out in all districts of the Valley as part of the preparations for the national event.
“..The full dress rehearsal has taken place in all districts of the valley. Along with that, the full dress rehearsal of the security arrangements has also taken place. So that on the August 15, we are able to carry out our main program smoothly,” Birdi said.
When asked about the two terror attacks in south Kashmir last month, IGP said the security has been spruced up across the valley.
” The investigations in those cases were underway. Apart from that, all the robust security arrangements are being organised by the respective districts. There is quite a spruced up security setup,” he said.
Birdi also appealed to people to participate in the Independence Day celebrations in large numbers, describing August 15 as a national event.
He said celebrations would be held at the district, administrative, and UT capital and urged people to make the functions a success.
When asked about reports claiming that November 25 Red Fort blast in Delhi which killed 11 people, has now been officially linked to the offshoot Al-Qaeda in the Indian subcontinent (AQIS), the IGP said no such information was available with the police and that any details, if required, would be shared separately.
“There is no such thing in our knowledge yet,” IGP said.
He also declined to comment on reports of threats to Kashmiri Pandits circulating on social media, saying he would limit his remarks to Independence Day and related security arrangements.
Authorities in Kashmir have verbally advised Kashmiri Pandits engaged in government departments not to attend their offices until August 20 following a threat letter circulated on social media naming six Kashmiri Pandits.
Around 6,000 migrant employees are working in the Valley. Security has also been enhanced at camps and other locations where Kashmiri Pandits and minority employees reside.
