Republic Day still 9 days away, but frisking begins across Kashmir

Government forces have started a massive “frisking operation” in Kashmir way ahead of January 26, even as the police have erected makeshift checkpoints in Srinagar where the main official R-day function shall be held.
A source in the police said that over 40 checkpoints have been set-up from Hari Singh High Street to Dalgate on the one side and from Amira Kadal to Zero Bridge, on the other.
“Similar ‘nakas’ have been set-up on Srinagar-Baramulla highway and also on the entire byepass stretch from Nowgam to Hyderpora. A tight vigil is also being maintained on Srinagar-Jammu highway, which has been declared ‘hypersensitive’, apart from some other areas which have been declared ‘sensitive’,” the source said.
A witness said that joint teams of the police and central reserve police force are stopping passenger vehicles and asking the passengers to step out and line up for searches.
“This is for the first time that after so many years that I was asked to come out of the vehicle and show my identity proof,” said Muhammad Amin Dar, who said he was travelling in a passenger vehicle from Athwajan to Lal Chowk.
A witness said that the police and CRPF men stopped almost all vehicles near Nigeen club.
“I was asked to show documents of my two-wheeler and also my identity proof. A policeman also asked me where from I was coming and where I am going,” he said.
A police official said that similar ‘nakas’ have been setup at Sanantnagar, Nowgam, Kanipora, Lasjan and other adjoining areas.
“From sudden cordon-and-search operations to frisking, everything is happening in Downtown Srinagar these days,” said Reyaz Ahmad, a resident of Nowhatta.
On the Srinagar-Jammu highway, a massive deployment of forces has been made, apart from deployment of army’s Casper vehicles and CRPF’s road opening parties (ROPs).
A witness said that passenger vehicles, and those travelling on two-wheelers, have to face intense frisking at Pampore, Sempora, Pantha Chowk and Sonwar areas.
Another witness said that vehicles were also thoroughly frisked on Srinagar-Baramulla highway near Shalteng, HMT and also near Pattan.
Admitting that there are more security measures made this time compared to previous years, additional director general of police Muneer Khan said that one of the main reasons for elaborate security measures is the change of January 26 venue—from Bakshi stadium to SK stadium, here.
“The security plan for R-day function is already in place for the past several years wherein few changes are done based on the situation every year. Now that we have a new venue, extra security measures have been put in place this time,” he said.
Ruling out that “90s-like frisking” has been started in Kashmir ahead of R-day, the ADGP said: “We can’t take a chance. I have been saying that the presence of militants in Srinagar can’t be ruled out. So frisking of vehicles will continue and people have to cooperate with us.”