Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir): Ahead of the upcoming maiden G20 meeting in Kashmir, security has been beefed up in Srinagar, the main venue of the meeting with commandos deployed in the city, sources said on Thursday. A senior police officer told ETV Bharat that commandos have been deployed in city centre Lal Chowk in Srinagar and around the Sheri Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) on the banks of the Dal Lake even as marine commandos are patrolling the Dal lake as part of the security drills.
“As an additional measure of prudence, many Srinagar schools have been ordered to stay closed starting on Tuesday, while others have been instructed to remain closed starting on Wednesday till the conclusion of the G20 conference," the police officer said. From May 22 to 24, Srinagar will host a meeting of G20 participants after India attained the G20 Presidency.
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Before the G20 summit in New Delhi in Sept. this year, there will be a number of meetings, including the one to be held in Srinagar. Significantly, ahead of the G20 meeting in Srinagar, militants have scaled up the attacks in Jammu and Kashmir in an attempt to foil the meeting. This year, four attacks in the region of Jammu have resulted in the killings of ten security personnel and seven civilians.
Sources in the security grid believe militants could try to launch mass attacks in the run-up to the G20 meeting in Srinagar. Security is being beefed up in light of this report. The timing of the attacks, according to a senior Indian Army commander stationed in Srinagar, was concerning since they were planned soon before the G20 conference.
Authorities from the Army and police claim to have information suggesting that militants may target an army school in Jammu and make children hostages. "For this reason, online classes have been started and will continue during the G20 summit. Around significant institutions like the military, police, civil secretariat, etc. in Srinagar City and surrounding areas, multi-level security has been installed.
In the city, commandos have been placed while personnel from the security forces are being stationed at various important sites,” he added.
