The Republic Day celebrations concluded in Kashmir Valley peacefully despite a shutdown call by separatists and an abortive attempt by terrorists to stage an attack that led to killing of two militants in Khonmoh village in the outskirts of Srinagar.
Sources said a gunfight raged between terrorists and joint security forces in Khonmoh area following launch of cordon and search operation on the basis of input about presence of terrorists. As the forces zeroed in on the suspected place, the hiding militants opened indiscriminate fire triggering a gunfight. In the ensuing gunfight, two militants were killed.
Sources said slain terrorists, one each a local cadre and a foreigner, belonged to Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) that had planned a big attack on January 26. Despite the attack, the Republic Day (RD) functions in the entire Kashmir Valley including the main event in Srinagar passed off peacefully amid tight security arrangements.
Advisor to Governor Khurshid Ahmad Ganai unfurled the tricolour and took the salute at the march past at Srinagar’s main RD function at makeshift venue Sher-e- Kashmir Cricket Stadium in Srinagar. He also inspected the parade.
The march past was presented by contingents of J&K Police, JK Armed Police, Border Security Force, CRPF, ITBP, SSB, Women Police, State Disaster Response Force, Fire and Emergency Services, NCC cadets and student children.
On the occasion, various colourful cultural programmes were presented by students from different educational institutions in joint collaboration with various central and state departments.
The peaceful RD celebrations were reported from other district headquarters in the Valley.
Several journalists were disallowed entry into the venue of main official function in Srinagar despite receiving official entry passes. The act evoked strong resentment from the journalists. They held a protest demonstration in press enclave. Advisor to Governor K Vijay Kumar has said that the issue of barring journalists from covering Republic Day function would be looked into. “The passes issued to journalists were found not to be authenticated. The matter would be looked into,” Kumar said.
The three tier security arrangements had been put in place across Kashmir ahead of Republic Day. The security forces remained active on the job of frisking in Srinagar city and in others parts of the region for the past around a week. All entry and exit points towards Sher-e-Kashmir Stadium had been sealed to and from movement of people and vehicular traffic restricted and diverted towards alternate routes for the past week.
Authorities had sounded high security alert in central and south Kashmir areas following at least six grenade attacks on police and security forces installations a day ahead of the Republic Day celebrations.
The deployment of Police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel had been augmented all over the city including Lal Chowk, Budshah Chowk, Civil Secretariat and Old Secretariat areas in capital Srinagar. The movement of people was also monitored through the Close Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras installed at vantage points in the city. Surprise checks of vehicles and frisking of pedestrians, were being conducted including at all entry and exit points in the summer capital Srinagar.
Similar security arrangements had also been put in place in all district headquarters. Mobile internet services that remained suspended across Kashmir as a precautionary measure. The services were restored after the conclusion of RD parades in Srinagar and district headquarters.
The normal life, however, remained crippled due to the shutdown observed by people across Kashmir in response to the call of Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL), a separatist political amalgam comprising Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik. It had asked people to observe complete shutdown today. Traffic movement and business remained shut while common people preferred to remain indoors.
JKLF chairman Yasin Malik was put under preventive detention by police yesterday. Several other separatist leaders and activists were also detained ahead of RD celebrations as a precautionary measure.