August 13th: Full dress rehearsal for 75th Independence Day (ID) was held in Srinagar and other districts and Tehsil headquarters on Thursday in the Kashmir valley.Unprecedented security arrangements were made and all roads leading to the venues of rehearsal were closed for any civilian movement.The main full dress rehearsal was held at SK Cricket Stadium in the high security Sonwar area, where Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Pandurang Kondbarao Pole unfurled the national flag and took a salute march past. The Deputy Commissioner of Srinagar and other police officials were also present. The Divisional Commissioner said that,” All the precautionary measures and security preparations are being done for several days for the independence day parade with all the SOP’S of COVID-19 being followed.”Contingents from Central Para Military Forces (CPMF), police, Fire and Emergency Service (FES) J&K Armed police and Home guards took part in the march past.Three groups presented a brief cultural presentation on the occasion. This time due to COVID -19 pandemic, school students were not able to participate in the Independence Day rehearsals.However, due to COVID-19 pandemic, students who cannot participate in parade and cultural events, however, will participate through digital platforms on August 15.There were very few people present in the stadium who were wearing masks and keeping physical distance.Very few photo journalists and videographers were allowed to cover the function today. However, those who were allowed to cover the function today will be replaced by another group on August 15 in view of the COVID-19.All roads leading to the stadium were closed last night. Security forces had closed the main road with barbed wires at Radio Kashmir, Srinagar crossing and again in Sonwar area.A Large number of security forces and police personnel were deployed outside the stadium to foil any militant attempt to cause any disturbance during the function. However, the function passed off peacefully. Meanwhile, Full dress rehearsal for the Independence Day Parade 2021 was also held at District Police Lines Awantipora with due Precautionary measures of COVID -19 in which ADC Awantipora Zaffar Hussain Shawl-KAS unfurled the National flag, inspected the parade and took salute at the march past. Sr. Superintendent of police Awantipora Mohammad Yousuf- JKPS, Dy. SP DAR DPL Fayaz Ahmad and other senior officers of civil administration, police department and other concerned were present on the occasion. The march past was presented by the contingents of J&K Police, J&K Armed police, CRPF, Home Guard and Youth Service and sports Department. On the occasion, rehearsal of colorful cultural programs was presented by the artists.Full dress rehearsal of the Independence Day celebrations 2021 was held at DPL Kulgam, where senior officers inspected the parade and witnessed the presentation of the cultural programme prepared by the cultural clubs and students for the celebration of the national event.During the rehearsal ADDC Kulgam Reyaz Ahmad Sofi-KAS along with Addl. SP Kulgam Zulfikar Ahmad-JKPS hoisted the national flag and inspected the parade at DPL Kulgam and also took the salute at the march past comprising a contingent of CRPF, District Police, Armed, Ladies, SPOs, JK Homeguard, NCC and students . The other officers including ADC Kulgam, ACD Kulgam, ACR Kulgam, DySP HQR Kulgam, DySP DAR Kulgam and all concerned were also present on the occasion. The parade was commanded by Arif Hussain Malik-JKPS (DySP PC Hatipora). A full dress Rehearsal of the Independence Day parade in 2021 was also held today at SK Stadium Bandipora.On the occasion Deputy Commissioner Bandipora Owais Ahmad -IAS hoisted the national Flag accompanied by SSP Bandipora Mohammad Zahid-JKPS and took Salute to the participating contingents of March past comprising of JKP, CRPF, IRP ,JK Home Guard ,SPO’s and NCC Cadets. The parade was commanded by parade commander DYSP DAR DPL Bandipora Ashfaq Alam.Meanwhile, Full dress rehearsal was held today at District Police Lines (DPL) Shopian in connection with 75th Independence Day Celebrations. Additional Deputy Commissioner, Shopian, Mushtaq Ahmed Simnani unfurled the National Flag, inspecting the parade and took the salute at the March Past at District Police Lines (DPL) Shopian..The contingents of CRPF, JKP, IRP, and Home Guard participated in the March past. Similar Rehearsal functions were also held at Sub-Divisional Level, Blocks and in Schools. Addressing the gathering, ADC said that the nation is paying great tribute to the freedom fighters and martyrs, who sacrificed their lives to free us from British rule. He further added that after independence, the nation has achieved the highest goals of success in every field of development. The nationalists who have sacrificed lives to uphold the secular face of the nation were also remembered.ADC enlisted various projects that were developed in the district in different sectors viz health, education, R&B,PHE,PDD,RDD etc and said that the district has recorded splendid achievements on multiple fronts. Underling the need of maintaining peace and communal harmony for development, ADC said that Shopian district is a glaring and shining example of brotherhood where people of different faiths and communities co-exist peacefully.
