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Independence Day was celebrated on Thursday in the Kashmir valley amid unprecedented security with no untoward incident reported so far from any part of the valley.
The general public by and large kept away from the celebrations even as Srinagar wore a deserted look.
Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah unfurled the national tricolour at Bakshi stadium in Srinagar, the venue of the main function, and took salute at the combined march past presented by contingents of the Border Security Force, Central Reserve Police Force, Indo-Tibetan Border Police, Jammu and Kashmir police, women's police, auxiliary police, fire services and school children from three schools.
The stadium, which had been turned into a fortress with sharp shooters and contingents of paramilitary forces atop all surrounding buildings and residential houses, was almost empty inside with no civilians.
The highlight of the proceedings was the daredevil motorcycle acrobatic stunts by the jawans of the Jammu and Kashmir police.
The chief minister announced a cash award of Rs 50,000 for the jawans, who participated in the stunts and a free trip to Gulmarg for the school children who participated in the march past.
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