R-Day: J&K politicians to be frisked before events

But Kashmir Inspector-General of Police K Rajendra says “known faces” will not be touched. “Because of the (militants’ efforts) to subvert our system from within we have to be extra cautious this time,” he added. “But if the person in any protected vehicle is known there is no need to check his vehicle. Only unknown faces will be frisked,” Rajendra clarified. Sources say the decision to frisk politicians follows recent disclosures about the involvement of several elected municipal councillors in militant activities.

People’s Democratic Party councillor Abdul Waheed Dar was arrested last week with police saying he had planned a fidayeen attack on August 15 last year on then Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.

Dar took the fidayeen for an elaborate recce of Bakshi Stadium, the venue of the main Independence Day celebrations last year, but the militant could not sneak inside after his vehicle was caught in a traffic jam.

Elsewhere, Mumbai Police arrested alleged Lashkar-e-Toiba operative Arshad Badroo, the National Conference councillor from Sopore. This was preceded by the arrests of two Congress and NC activists who were working as militant conduits.

The disclosures have shaken up political parties here.

Deputy Chief Minister Muzaffar Hussain Beig today said militants had adopted a new strategy of carrying out strikes by “infiltrating into the ranks of the political parties”. “This gives them security as well as access (to otherwise high security areas),” he said.

However, Baig slammed “intelligence agencies” for not tipping off politicians about their suspect colleagues.

“There is a need for scrutinising the credentials of the people before giving them party tickets. But at the same time, the intelligence agencies should inform us about any such element who has taken refuge with us. They are not doing it,” the Deputy Chief Minister said. CRPF Inspector-General A P Maheshwari said: “We have received inputs that militants are planning to carry out attacks (on January 26). The element of surprise is with them (militants) but we are taking every effort to prevent any attack.” He added that security forces have installed electronic gadgets at various places to track militant activities.

Frisking of pedestrians and commuters has been stepped up and cordon and search operations have begun at various places across the Valley.