JAMMU, (CNI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to campaign in Udhampur on Friday as Union Minister Jitendra Singh’s star campaigner, prompting authorities to put in place a multi-layered security setup, including a drone ban. Prompted to enable.
Singh is contesting the third consecutive re-election from the Udhampur Lok Sabha seat in Jammu and Kashmir in the first phase of the elections.
Prime Minister Modi will address a huge rally in Udhampur on Friday, with security agencies issuing advisory and Standard Operating Procedures (SoP) for rally goers and security personnel in view of the threat. .
Officials said Modi will reach Udhampur on Friday morning to address a huge rally in Batalbalyan area.
He said that multi-level security arrangements have been made for the safe and secure conduct of the rally. This includes extensive deployment, area dominance, vigilance in outposts and areas and vigilance of key installations in the region by various security agencies.
Security personnel have been put on duty at Jammu-Udhampur highway and important junctions and additional checkpoints have been set up to monitor passengers, officials said.
He further said that the search process has been accelerated at important places on the highway.
Udhampur District Magistrate Saloni Rai on Thursday issued an order banning the flying of any type of aviation equipment, including unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and drones, in the district.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi is visiting Udhampur tomorrow to address a public meeting and the administration will make various necessary arrangements as per SOP for safe and secure conduct of the rally,” Rai said in the order. have been.”
“In view of emerging security threats due to recent trends of using drones as Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) by anti-national elements, security measures to maintain law and order,” he added. Strengthening measures is imperative.”
The District Magistrate said that the Udhampur Senior Superintendent of Police would ensure the implementation of the order to ban the flying of any type of aviation equipment.
Senior Superintendent of Police, Security, Shamsher Hussain also issued an advisory for people to arrive on time before 10 am before the start of the program for easy entry.
This is Prime Minister Modi’s third visit to Jammu and Kashmir in a month and a half.
He addressed large rallies in the cities of Jammu and Srinagar on February 20 and March 7, inaugurating several development projects.
Four years after its abrogation, Article 370 has become the focus of election campaigning in Jammu and Kashmir, and more so in the Udhampur Lok Sabha constituency where Union Minister Jitendra Singh is seeking re-election for a third term.
The seat is witnessing a three-way fight with Congress’ Chaudhary Lal Singh and the Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) pitting three-time former MLA GM Sarwari against a senior BJP leader.
Udhampur Lok Sabha constituency will go to polls on April 19 in the first phase of the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections.
Jitendra Singh retained the Udhampur Lok Sabha seat in 2019, defeating Congress candidate Vikramaditya Singh, grandson of former Maharaja Hari Singh, by a margin of 3,53,272 votes. Lal Singh got only 19,049 votes.
In 2014, he defeated former Union Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad by a margin of 60,976 votes. (CNI)