ISLAMABAD: Kashmiris observed Indian Republic Day as black day across the world and at the Line of Control as a protest against India’s continued denial of the right of self-determination to Kashmiris.
The call for observance of the Black Day had been given by the joint resistance leadership comprising Syed Ali Gilani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik, according to Kashmir Media Service. The day is being marked with a complete strike in occupied Kashmir and anti-India demonstrations and rallies are being held in world capitals.
Thousands of Indian troops and police personnel have been deployed in every nook and corner of the territory. The police personnel are conducting frisking and checking of vehicles and passengers in Srinagar and other major towns besides carrying out surprise raids in different areas.
Extra security arrangements have been made for the Indian Republic Day as claimed by the Indian Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Inspector General RDS Sahi. He said that the CRPF in coordination with police had taken strict security measures to avoid any inconvenience.
“We are using around seven additional CRPF companies for security purposes in the Valley on this Republic Day,” he said. These companies were part of 102 additional CRPF companies brought to Kashmir last year to quell the mass uprising which was triggered by the extra-judicial killing of popular youth leader Burhan Wani on July 8, 2016.
