By Raqib Hameed Naik and Shah Jehangir, TwoCircles.net,
Srinagar : A day before the high profile visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Kashmir valley, the whole of Srinagar, where Modi is scheduled to address a his first rally after the formation of BJP-PDP coalition government, has been besieged. Concertina wires dot the streets and armed forces patrol the city, manning the entry and exit points so as to thwart any untoward incident.
The Security forces were seen making extraordinary security arrangements due to the counter ‘Srinagar Million March’ called by the senior separatist leader, Syed Ali Shah Geelani .
As expected, police have already detained hundreds of separatist in midnight raids which makes it unlikely that the state government will allow the ‘Million March’.
Police personnel and paramilitary troopers were seen frisking pedestrians and carrying out thorough checking of the vehicles entering the city from other districts and keeping a record of such vehicles, passenger, including phone numbers of the drivers.
With the city in virtual work, Twocircles.net went around the city capturing the wait for the PM and the rally
(All Photos by : Shah Jehangir/TCN)
All major routes leading to city centre Lal chowk, TRC and Sonwar have been sealed by laying concertina wires with Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) persons manning the points.
A CRPF trooper on alert to thwart any protest procession towards historic Jamia Masjid in Nowhatta, Srinagar
As the city was abuzz with movements of security forces, most of the shopkeepers downed their shutters leaving people to cover larger distances to purchase essential commodities
Most of the police officers were on toes for the whole day, reviewing the security arrangements in their respective areas
Security forces were seen questioning pedestrians about their purpose of movement. An old man explaining to the CRPF topper that he is out for a stroll
As old city of Srinagar was sealed from the fear of protests following Friday prayers, the security forces didn’t allow the weekly prayers to take place in the mosque by sealing all the entry and exit routes thus restricting the movement of vehicles
Huge hoardings of “We Welcome Shri Narendra Modi to Kashmir’’ were placed by party cadres alongside the road leading to Sher-e-Kashmir cricket ground in Srinagar
Due to laying of concertina wires, most of the vehicles were not allowed to pass through their usual routes which led to traffic mess in the whole city with people stuck in traffic jams for hours
Carpenters making a wooden entry-exit point on main road, Sonwar near SKC ground to be used for frisking the people intending to join Modi rally on Saturday
A posse of Indian security forces making rounds in areas adjacent to Sher-e-Kashmir cricket ground
Related:
Kashmir awaits Modi, but not in the way he expected
To Counter PM Modi’s Srinagar rally, Geelani calls for ‘Srinagar Million March’ on same day