Srinagar: Heightened security measures, including intensified vehicle checks and frisking of residents, have escalated tensions in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) ahead of India’s Independence Day on August 15.
According to Kashmir Media Service, security forces have ramped up cordon and search operations, house raids, and the frisking of passengers and pedestrians across the region. These actions are concentrated in Srinagar city, along the Jammu-Srinagar highway, and in other parts of the territory, causing widespread discomfort and fear among the local population.
Authorities have implemented a comprehensive security framework involving both ground and aerial surveillance, particularly in areas such as Srinagar, Islamabad, Kishtwar, Doda, and along the Jammu-Srinagar highway. The deployment of paramilitary troops, as well as the establishment of bunkers and barricades, aims to fortify these regions.
Additionally, numerous youths have been detained in recent house raids and search operations. In a move that has further stoked local discontent, the New Delhi-controlled BJP government has mandated the display of the Indian flag on all homes in the territory for the August 15 celebration. This directive is part of broader efforts to assert control and integrate IIOJK with the rest of India.
The report also notes that Indian intelligence agencies are keeping a close watch on Hurriyat leaders and media personnel who critique or diverge from the official government narrative.