National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, who has been keeping a close watch on security for over a week in Jammu and Kashmir and mingling with the people in the Valley, on Monday, 12 August, sat down with the J&K police personnel and officers for a 'bara khana' (meal with jawans) at the police control room on the occasion of Eid.
Doval, who has been visiting different parts of the Valley, including Anantnag, Sopore and Shopian, for the past week, went on an aerial survey of Srinagar and other parts of Kashmir Valley.
He later interacted and greeted J&K Police officers and personnel on the occasion of Eid, after which he joined them for the Eid meal, at which senior officers of JKP were present.
During his interaction with the JKP, the NSA appreciated their hard work and commended each one of the officers and personnel present for ensuring peace and facilitating general public. He also conveyed Eid greetings to the families of the police personnel.
Doval on Monday also did a recce of the entire Srinagar, including downtown, Soura, Pampore, Lal Chowk area, Hazratbal, Pampore, Budgam (in Budgam Charar e Sharif area), South Kashmir including Pulwama and Awantipora.
"Everything was normal and people were seen celebrating Eid," sources said.
Ahead of Eid Al Adha, Doval had also visited a sheep mandi to enquire if the sale of animals for the Eid was going on properly.
On Monday, photographs and videos shared by the government on social media showed people celebrating Eid in J&K, which has been under restrictions since 5 August when the government imposed prohibitory orders prior to revoking Articles 370 and 35A of the Constitution which gave special status to the region.
The government reported that over 10,000 people offered prayers in a "peaceful environment", though there were some "minor localised protests of a routine nature".
There have been some isolated incidents of stone-pelting at "small levels" and the police handled the situation and dispersed the protesters, a statement from the government said.
Sources in the security establishment said Doval wanted to be on the ground in the state to personally take stock of the situation instead of depending on the inputs gathered from security officials. He had left on Sunday for a quick trip to New Delhi but was back in Srinagar by Sunday evening, said sources.
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