CRPF to hoist flag in Lal Chowk area

Srinagar: Three-tier security has been put in place in and around the Bakshi stadium, venue for main Republic Day (RD) function to be held on January 26 in the Kashmir valley.

The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) will hoist the national flag on Palladium post in the historic Lal Chowk, the nerve centre of summer capital Srinagar, a CRPF spokesman said.

He said a commandant of local CRPF Battalion will unfurl the Tricolour on Palladium post in Lal Chowk on January 26. However, he said, no flag hoisting ceremony would be held at Gantaghar, a stones throw away from Palladium post.

He said CRPF Inspector General (IG) was unfurling the national flag on Gantaghar until 2007 but the practice was discontinued from 2008.

''We have taken over the Bakshi stadium on Srinagar-Airport road,'' CRPF spokesman Commandant Prabhkhar Tripathi told UNI.

He said adequate number of security force personnel had been deployed inside the stadium, who are keeping round-the-clock vigil.

He said security around the stadium has also been tightened and sharp shooters have taken position to foil any attempt by militants to cause any disturbances.

''Though there is no specific information about any militant plan to carry out attack in any particular area, but we do not want to take any chance,'' he said adding three tier security arrangements had been made for smooth conduct of the RD function.