Srinagar: Security has been beefed up across Kashmir four days ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit during which he is scheduled to address a public rally in Srinagar.
The venue for the Prime Minister's rally -- Sher-e-Kashmir Cricket Stadium -- has been turned into a virtual fortress with a large posse of police and paramilitary personnel deployed in and around the area to secure it, a police official said.
He said anti-sabotage checks are being carried out within the stadium as well as in the surrounding areas to ensure foolproof security for the high profile visit of the Prime Minister later this week.
Modi is scheduled to address a public rally here on November 7, besides inaugurating the 450-megawatt Baglihar Phase II power project in Ramban district of the state.
The security forces have also started carrying out frisking of vehicles entering the city from other districts in order to foil any attempts by militants to bring in arms or explosives ahead of the visit, the official said.
He said the security around the venue of the rally will be intensified over the next three days. "Sharpshooters will be deployed atop high rise buildings around the stadium while the intelligence sleuths are keeping an eye on suspicious persons," he added.
As the separatist groups have called for a parallel rally to that of the Prime Minister at Tourist Reception Centre ground -- stone's throw from cricket stadium, the authorities have carried out a crackdown on them to foil their plans.
Several of the top separatist leaders have been taken into preventive detention while some leaders including Syed Ali Shah Geelani have been placed under house arrest.
