Multi-tier security in place for PM's Udhampur visit to address rally  

Jammu, April 11 (IANS) A multi-tier security arrangement, with a complete ban on flying drones, is in place for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Udhampur district on Friday to address a campaign rally for BJP candidate, Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh. 

Security agencies have issued advisory and Standard Operating Procedures (SoP) for people attending the rally in the Batal Ballian area and for the security personnel.

With PM Modi slated to arrive in Udhampur on Friday morning, security arrangements include elaborate deployments, area domination, checkpoints, and vigilance on vital installations in the region.

Security personnel have been put on duty along the Jammu-Udhampur highway and vital junctions with additional checkpoints being set up to monitor commuters, and frisking intensified at major spots.

Udhampur District Magistrate Saloni Rai on Thursday issued an order prohibiting the flying of any kind of aviation devices, including Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and drones, in the district.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi is visiting Udhampur to address a public meeting tomorrow and various necessary arrangements are being undertaken by the administration as per the SoP for the safe and secure conduct of the rally. In view of the emerging security threats due to the recent trends of using drones as improvised explosive devices (IEDs) by the anti-national elements, it is imperative to strengthen security measures to maintain law and order," the DM’s order said.

The J&K Police's Security Wing also issued an advisory for people to arrive ahead of the programme's start at 10 a.m. for smooth entry.

This is Prime Minister Modi's third visit to Jammu and Kashmir in over one and a half months.

He addressed big rallies while inaugurating several development projects on February 20 and March 7 in Jammu and Srinagar cities.

The Udhampur constituency is set to witness a triangular fight with the Congress fielding Choudhary Lal Singh and the Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) fielding former minister G.M. Saroori against the senior BJP leader. Polling in the Udhampur seat will be held in the first of the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections on April 19.

Dr Jitendra Singh retained the Udhampur Lok Sabha seat in 2019, defeating Congress candidate Vikramaditya Singh, the grandson of erstwhile Maharaja Hari Singh, by a margin of 3,53,272 votes. Lal Singh, contesting as the candidate of his Dogra Swabhimaan Sangathan Party, only got 19,049 votes. In 2014, Jitendra Singh defeated former Union Minister and Congress candidate, Ghulam Nabi Azad by a margin of 60,976 votes.