Police, paramilitary forces participate in full dress rehearsal for R-Day parade

Braving snowfall and extreme cold, various contingents of police and paramilitary forces Thursday participated in full dress rehearsal for the Republic Day parade even as security was beefed up across Kashmir to ensure smooth passage of the event.

Kashmir Divisional Commissioner Baseer Khan presided over the parade, officials said.

Dress rehearsal for the Republic Day parade at Sher-e-Kashmir Cricket Stadium here was held despite snowfall and extreme cold, they said.

They said the contingents of police and other forces marched past the national flag.

Similar rehearsal was held at other district headquarters, the officials said.

Authorities have tightened the security across the Kashmir Valley in the wake of recent grenade attacks in the city to ensure that militants are not able to disrupt the celebrations on January 26.

Police and paramilitary CRPF personnel have been deployed in the city and at all entry points to the summer capital of the state to thwart any plans of militants to carry out subversive activities, a police official said.

Security forces have set up barricades at many places to carry out random searches of vehicles entering the city, the official said.

Police personnel have been carrying out area domination exercises within two kilometre radius of the cricket stadium and around the venues at district headquarters, he said.

Armed personnel and cops in civvies have been deployed around the Republic Day function venue to keep an eye on any suspicious person, he said.

Similar security arrangements have been put in place in all district headquarters of the valley for ensuring peaceful and smooth Republic Day celebrations, he added.