Police and security forces have been put on maximum alert in Jammu and Kashmir in view of militant threats to disrupt Independence Day celebrations and seizure of a huge cache of arms and ammunition from near Bakshi Stadium, the venue of the main function in Srinagar.

In the wake of threats by Lashkar-e-Tayiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad to disrupt the celebrations, a three-tier
security has been thrown around all the venues, including the Bakshi Stadium where Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed would unfurl the tri-colour.

Police assisted by paramilitary troops, which were carrying out area domination and sanitisation exercises near the venues, found a huge cache of arms and explosives in the vicinity of Bakshi Stadium last night.

Three rockets, a high explosive 60-mm mortar bomb, four kgs of explosives and 10 grenades were among the
recoveries made from fields, the sources said. Intercepts of militant conversations, they added, suggested that these were to be used for attempts to disrupt the celebrations.

The sources told PTI that for the first time ambulances with mini-blood bank and operation theatre facilities would be put on standby on Sunday.

Inspector General of Police K Rajendra Kumar has directed his force and other security agencies to exercise extra care and ensure close cooperation to scuttle nefarious designs of forces inimical to peace in Kashmir.

The measures are also in view of the stepped up militant strikes on mainstream politicians. Terrorists have carried out several attacks on Deputy Chief Minister Mangat Ram Sharma in the past one month, including at Kapran recently where six persons were killed and scores injured.