Security has been heightened across Jammu and Kashmir ahead of Union Home Minister Amit Shah's three-day visit to the state starting on October 4, officials said.
They said a thick security cover has been thrown around the venues of two rallies Shah is scheduled to address in Rajouri of Jammu and north Kashmir’s Baramulla districts. “There is a round-the-clock vigil at checkpoints to ensure a smooth visit of the Home Minister,” officials added.
Roads leading to the venues, where Shah is scheduled to address public gatherings in Rajouri and Baramulla, have been made off-limits for three days from Monday for the general public, reports said. In Rajouri, where Shah is slated to address a mammoth gathering, check-points, and additional deployment of troops have been made to prevent any untoward incident.
Similarly, reports said that in Baramulla, heightened vigil and round-the-clock patrolling is being carried out by joint teams of security forces. Shah is scheduled to address a mega rally at Showkat Ali Stadium Baramulla.
It will be Shah’s second visit to Jammu and Kashmir after the Centre revoked the erstwhile state’s special status and bifurcated it into union territories in August 2019. Last year in October, Shah visited Kashmir to take stock of the security situation after the rise in targeted killings of members of minority communities by militants.
A police official said they have started stringent checking of documents of two-wheelers running on the roads.
Shah is likely to chair a high-level security review meeting in Srinagar before flying back to New Delhi. Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha, top officials of the Army, paramilitary forces, state police and civil administration are expected to take part in this high-level meeting.
Before concluding his visit to the Union Territory, the Home Minister will also launch and lay foundation stones for various development projects in Srinagar.