Independence Day celebrated peacefully in Kashmir Valley

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah unfurled the tricolour at the Bakshi Stadium, the venue for main celebrations in Jammu and Kashmir, here today on the occasion of the 65th Independence Day.

Contingents of BSF, CRPF, state armed police, state police, NCC cadets and school children participated in the Independence parade at the Bakshi Stadium here.Stringent security arrangements were put in place inside the stadium.

As a security measure, the mobile phones portable internet connections were jammed across the Valley.

The invitees to the function were frisked at nearly half a dozen places and the invitation cards were matched with the identity cards.

Closed circuit cameras were also installed inside the stadium for the first time, while SSG personnel were monitoring the activities of the crowd with binoculars.

Outside the stadium, thousands of police and paramilitary CRPF personnel were deployed in the city.

The clock tower in Lal Chowk was put out of limits for general public as there were apprehensions that BJP activists might try to hoist national flag as they were prevented to do so on January 26 this year.

Although there was no specific threat to the celebrations from militants, the Union Home Ministry had issued an alert warning of possible terror strike in Jammu and Kashmir and North eastern states of the country.However, the celebrations passed off peacefully