People – mostly inhabitants in downtown area in summer capital Srinagar said that they were facing inconvenience due to the “high security” arrangements put across ahead of August 15 celebrations.
Locals said they were irked by “unnecessary” accosting by the police and paramilitary forces.We received scores of complaints from last few days about “unnecessary accosting” by the police, who even “don’t leave small children and women for frisking”.
Wednesday evening was a very tough time for the residents living around Bakhshi Stadium and Amar Singh College when the people returning home were denied permission to enter via AS College road.
Gowhar (name changed) was driving on Wednesday evening when he dropped his friend in government quarters Gogji bagh and was stunned while reaching back to Gogji bagh-Amar singh crossing point.
“Suddenly a police man spread barbed wire across the road and told me to drive by footpath. It is ridiculous. When I enquired the reason, he simply told security issues. How illogical, there is a security threat to them if I cross the road and that threat gets minimized if I drive by footpath.”
At least a dozen of cars were stranded late evening who only wanted to reach their home but very denied permission.
“I had to return and then I spent my whole night in my relatives’ house at Sonwar,” complained another person.
Ahead of August 15, intense security checking is underway in JK’s summer capital with a posse of police, paramilitary personnel manning streets, frisking commuters and checking passersby.
A senior police official said, “This year’s security set up has been beefed up in view of volatile situation in the valley and particularly after Wednesday evening when militants lobbed grenade at Khanyar Police Station in old city.”
