Aug 14, 2025: On Tuesday, all district headquarters in Kashmir held full dress rehearsals for the 79th Independence Day, marking the final preparations for the celebrations on August 15. This was a vibrant display of patriotism and unity. Divisional Commissioner Vijay Kumar Bidhuri saluted, inspected parade groups, and addressed the gathering at Bakshi Stadium in Srinagar, where the main event took place. In his speech, he paid tributes to freedom fighters and martyrs and lauded the socio-economic progress achieved in the region.

Bidhuri praised Kashmiris for uniting against terror and condemned the recent terrorist attacks in Pahalgam. He described Operation Sindoor as a strong response to dismantle terror infrastructure, and Operation Mahadev as justice delivered to the perpetrators of the Pahalgam massacre.

Anantnag, Ganderbal, Kulgam, Shopian, Baramulla, Budgam, Pulwama, Kupwara, and Bandipora all hosted similar rehearsals throughout the Valley. The rehearsals, marked by colourful parades, cultural performances, and flag-hoisting ceremonies, reflected the enthusiasm of officials, security personnel, and the general public as Kashmir readies to celebrate India’s 79th Independence Day with full patriotic spirit.

Meanwhile, a tight security blanket has been thrown around Bakshi Stadium, the main venue of Independence Day function in Jammu and Kashmir, to ensure incident-free celebrations in the valley.

We've set up multiple levels of security for the Independence Day celebrations. High rise spotters have been deployed to maintain vigil,” Inspector General of Police Kashmir Zone VK Birdi told reporters here after the full dress rehearsal.
He stated that the security plan to ensure a peaceful Independence Day took into account all possible outcomes.