In an effort to ensure a trouble free Republic Day, the city has been put under one of the tightest security regimens ever with the Bakshi stadium, the main venue of the celebrations, resembling a virtual fortress.

Authorities have increased the deployment of police and paramilitary forces around the stadium and started area
dominance and sanitisation exercises in the localities within one kilometre radius of the venue, official sources said.

House to house searches are being conducted and security forces are making a list of all suspects with tenants renting
houses and rooms in the area asked to register themselves with their nearest police station, sources said.

The released militants are being watched closedly and they might be asked to report at their respective police
stations just ahead of the Republic Day, they added.

Describing the security measures as part of the normal drill, Inspector General of Police Kashmir K Rajendra Kumar
told PTI, "we will take all possible steps to ensure a trouble free and smooth conduct of republic day celebrations."

There are no specific intelligence inputs about militant plans to carry out any attacks on Republic Day or on its eve
but the security drill was being carried out to nip in the bud any such attempt.

Sniffer dogs being used to search for any explosives or improvised explosive devices which the ultras might have already planted in the vicinity of Bakshi stadium just to create sensation on the Republic Day.

On Saturday security forces recovered a 5 kilogramme IED concealed in a plastic cannister at Iqbal Park, near Bakshi stadium, just five days ahead of the function.