Kashmiri schoolgirls wearing traditional dresses perform to a song during India’s Republic Day celebrations in Srinagar, India in 2016. Reuters/Danish Ismail
Srinagar: Mobile internet services have been snapped in Kashmir as a precautionary measure on the occasion of the Republic Day, officials said today.
The internet services on mobile phones and data cards were suspended yesterday as part of the security drill of the Republic Day.
Although, it’s a normal practice in Kashmir to suspend the internet services on the Republic Day and Independence Day, this is the first time that these services were withdrawn a day earlier.
Security forces have been deployed in strength at strategic locations in the city.
The law enforcing agencies are carrying out random frisking and searches of vehicles entering the city.
This year the main Republic Day function will be held at Sher-e-Kashmir Cricket Stadium instead of the regular venue, Bakshi Stadium.
The area around the cricket stadium was sealed on Wednesday for full dress rehearsal of the Republic Day parade.
Traffic police has issued an advisory for movement of vehicles between the city centre and south Kashmir and no vehicle will be permitted to move along the Ram Munshi Bagh-TRC stretch of the road during the rehearsal and Republic Day function.