Patriotic fervour grips Jammu on Independence Day

Youths riding bikes and other light vehicles with national flags today made rounds of the city as patriotic fervour gripped Jammu on the occasion of 71st Independence Day.
They were chanting slogans in praise of the country while moving through the city roads, which otherwise witnessed very less movement due to closure of markets and skeletal transport service on account of the national holiday.
National flags were hoisted in every nook and corner of the city with various parties and associations organising special functions and unfurling the tricolour at various places to mark the day which coincided with Janmashtami festival.

Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh unfurled the tricolour at the official function at mini-stadium located at Parade in the heart of the city amid tight security arrangements.
Singh arrived at the jam-packed stadium and inspected the guard of honour after unfurling the national flag and later took salute at the march-past presented by contingents of state police, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Indian Reserve Police, National Cadet Corps (NCC) and Forest Protection Force.
Over 2,500 students representing various government and private schools of Jammu city and its peripheries also took part in the march-past and later presented a colourful cultural show.

A scintillating cultural bonanza depicting patriotism, culture and message against the social evils was also presented by the school children during over two-hour long function.

Speaker of Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Kavinder Gupta, BJP Member Parliament Jugal Kishore Sharma, Minister of state for education Priya Sethi and opposition leaders including provincial president of National Conference Davendra Rana participated in the function.
Among others who attended the function included divisional commissioner Jammu,Mandeep K Bhandhari, Inspector General of Police (Jammu) S D Singh, Deputy commissioner Kumar Rajeev Ranjan.
The roads around the stadium were sealed off by a strong contingent of police and paramilitary forces and many a policemen were seen deployed in the high rise building in the close vicinity.

Tricolour kites dotted the skyline since early morning, adding to the enthusiasm of the people.
The patriotic fervour was also witnessed in other parts of Jammu region where official functions were held at district headquarters.
"The functions passed off peacefully," a police official said, adding there was no report of ceasefire violation along the Line of Control (LoC) from anywhere.
Army and other security forces also observed the Independence Day with unfurling of national flag at their camps and headquarters.