SOG conducts surprise checking in Lal Chowk

Special Operations Group (SOG) of Jammu and Kashmir police on Wednesday conducted surprise security checking of pedestrians and vehicles at city-centre Lal Chowk.

Witnesses said that a large posse of the SOG personnel in morning appeared in Lal Chowk and carried surprise checks. The surprise checking created panic in the city-centre. The SOG personnel checked identity cards of the pedestrians and thoroughly checked vehicles.

A senior police officer termed it as a routine security arrangement. “This exercise is a part of routine security arrangements and there is nothing extraordinary in it,” he said.

However, sources in police said that they had inputs of movement of militants in Srinagar. “We have been receiving the inputs regarding movement of militants in city from last three days. The surprise checks are being carried out to prevent any untoward incident,” they said.

Police and paramilitary forces have erected barricades at scores of place in the city. Reports said joint contingents of police and paramilitary forces conducted checking of vehicles entering city at Batamaloo, Iqbal Park, Barzulla, Soura, Parimpora and Bemina. Police have seized hundreds of bikes across the city. The checking of vehicles led to traffic jams at various places in the summer capital.