Security tightened in Srinagar for PM's visit

PM to visit Srinagar in view of militant strike that left 8 soldiers deal, several injured

A security blanket has been thrown around this city, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit here today in view of the deadly strike by militants that left eight soldiers dead and several others injured.

Police and paramilitary CRPF personnel have been deployed in numbers across the city while in some places army is also conducting foot patrols to prevent the militants from carrying out any further attacks during the high profile visit, official sources said.

The security forces have erected barriers after every kilometer to check the antecedents of people and to regulate the movement of the vehicles, the sources said.

They said a high-level meeting of security officials was held late last night to review the situation in view of the militant attack at Hyderpora in the city.

Eight soldiers were killed while 16 others were injured in the attack, which was the deadliest militant strike this year.

Helicopters were hovering over the skyline of Srinagar city till late last night as the air surveillance was intensified.

Residents of old Srinagar city claimed that curfew-like situation prevailed in the area as security forces were not allowing people to come out of their homes.

"There is heavy deployment of forces in our area and people have been asked to stay indoors," Mohammad Umar, a resident of Nowhatta, said.

The sources said security forces have been put on a high alert across the state in order to ensure that militants are not able to carry out any subversive activities.

Separatists groups including both factions of Hurriyat Conference and JKLF have called for a general strike on the arrival of the Prime Minister.

Chairmen of both faction of Hurriyat - Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq - have been placed under house arrest as a preventive measure.