Kashmir IGP Orders Heightened Security Ahead of International Film Festival

Kashmir Zone Inspector General of Police Sujit Kumar has directed security agencies to maintain heightened alertness and strengthen the security grid ahead of the upcoming International Film Festival of Jammu & Kashmir. Kumar chaired a security review meeting on Friday to assess preparations for the festival, scheduled to be held from September 7 to 10. The meeting focused on ensuring adequate security arrangements at festival venues and along routes that will be used by participants and visitors.

During the meeting, officials reviewed deployment plans, venue security, access control, surveillance and crowd-management measures. The IGP instructed officers to identify vulnerable locations and ensure that sufficient personnel were positioned at key points throughout the event.

The security arrangements are expected to cover filmmakers, visitors, dignitaries and other participants attending the festival. Kumar stressed the need for close coordination among various security agencies and called for real-time sharing of information to respond quickly to any emerging situation.

Traffic management was another key issue discussed during the meeting. Officers were directed to prepare detailed traffic plans for areas likely to experience congestion and regulate movement around festival venues. Security personnel were also asked to ensure proper management of entry and exit points.

The IGP further directed officials to ensure route clearance and deploy Road Opening Parties along designated routes to facilitate the secure movement of participants and dignitaries. Kumar called for continuous surveillance and greater vigilance throughout the festival period. Officers were asked to remain prepared for emergencies and maintain close coordination so that any security or law-and-order challenge could be addressed promptly.

The first edition of the International Film Festival of Jammu & Kashmir is expected to bring together filmmakers, artists, industry professionals and audiences from different parts of the country and abroad. The police leadership has emphasised that coordinated deployment, effective crowd management and timely communication will be central to maintaining security during the four-day event.