Ahead of Darbar Move; frisking, searches back in Srinagar

Srinagar/May 06: Security forces have intensified random checking of vehicle and frisking at various places here, particularly uptown and civil line areas, ahead of by-annual Darbar Move, shifting of seat of the government, including the offices of the Chief Minister, her Cabinet colleagues and bureaucrats, from winter capital Jammu, to this summer capital.
The Civil Secretariat and other related offices will open for the bi-annual Darbar Move in Srinagar for summer months on Monday.
Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel and Jammu and Kashmir Police men have erected barricades and could be seen randomly checking vehicles, particularly from others districts, at various places in Srinagar, including Budshah Chowk, Lal Chowk, Batamaloo and Gupkar road.
“We have orders to conduct such random checking of vehicles in the city ahead of opening of civil secretariat in Srinagar on Monday to foil any militant attack. There is no specific information of a militant attack. But, keeping in view the sprung in their activities in south Kashmir, we are conducting these searches as a precautionary measure,” cops deployed at Budshah Chowk said.
Meanwhile, barriers and road blocks had been set up outside as well as inside the Civil Secretariat to ensure no one barged into the complex.
Security forces have also put up naka checking at several places in the city and outskirts, checking vehicles and frisking travelers entering civil lines.
The ‘darbar move’ practice between the two state capitals — Srinagar for six summer months and Jammu for six winter months — was started in 1872 during Maharaja Ranbir Singh’s tenure. Nearly ten thousand government officers and employees have moved to Srinagar for the next six months.