J&K puts on heavy security as PM Modi prepares for visit

A four-tier security apparatus has been put in place for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's public rally in Samba district of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday, a top police officer said. The prime minister is scheduled to address the public rally at Vijaypur along the Jammu-Pathankot highway after laying the foundation stone of the prestigious All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), a mega project which was sanctioned in 2015 but faced inordinate delay due to resettlement of around 280 nomad families from a portion of nearly 245 acres of land identified for the project.

"We have made all necessary security arrangements for the rally. We have put in place a four-tier security arrangement and roughly deployed 62 companies of forces along with 15 gazetted officers, apart from the territorial officers who are going to perform their own duties," Inspector General of Police, Jammu, M K Sinha told PTI. "We have made four lawyers of the security protect the area of the helipad and dias, public area and surrounding areas," Sinha said.

Vigil has also been tightened along the border in view of the visit. Apart from this, he said, railway stations and railway tracks have also been secured.

The IGP said eight companies have been deployed for night patrolling to keep a close watch. They are also equipped with night vision devices and searchlights. The prime minister during his day-long visit to Leh, Kashmir and Jammu will lay the foundation stones or inaugurate projects worth Rs 35,000 crore in Jammu and Rs 9,000 crore in Kashmir Valley.

Modi had last visited the state on May 19, 2018, to lay the foundation of Zojilla Tunnel project, which once completed will provide all-weather road connectivity to frontier Ladakh region that at present remains cut off for four-to-five months in a year owing to heavy snowfall during winter. On January 31, K Vijay Kumar and Skandan Krishnan, advisors to the Governor, visited the site of the rally and reviewed the arrangements.

Officials said over 100 bio-chemical toilets have been installed for the general public and 10 for the use of VIPs. After having a detailed review, Advisor Kumar expressed satisfaction over the arrangements and called for close coordination among all the agencies involved in the smooth conduct of the visit.

BJP state president Ravinder Raina said the prime minister will be accorded a warm welcome upon his arrival to Jammu. "The AIIMS ground will witness a grand public rally which will be attended by around two lakh people from all walks of life. The rally will be historic and the BJP is all set for the mega rally," he said.

(With inputs from agencies.)