Srinagar, Aug 15: Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday celebrated the 80th Independence Day with patriotic fervour, with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah presiding over the main function at Bakshi Stadium here.

Omar unfurled the national flag and was given a ceremonial Guard of Honour as he inspected the contingents taking part in the independence parade.
A helicopter showered flower petals over the stadium amidst applause from the audience.
Former chief ministers, National Conference president Farooq Abdullah and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly Sunil Sharma, and National Conference MLAs from Srinagar attended the function.
Independence Day was celebrated at all district headquarters in the Valley.
While Agriculture Minister Javed Ahmad Dar took the salute at Baramulla, School Education Minister Sakina Itoo presided over the function in Anantnag.
In the remaining districts, the respective deputy commissioners unfurled the national flag and took the salute at the parade.
Stringent security arrangements were put in place at all venues where official Independence Day functions were held in J&K, to ensure peaceful celebrations.
Security personnel were deployed in large numbers around the venues.
Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary unfurled tricolcour and took salute at march past at 80th Independence Day celebrations, at Maulana Azad Stadium in Jammu
The city’s iconic Lal Chowk wore a distinctly tricolour look, with the Clock Tower and surrounding areas witnessing a large gathering of tourists, visitors and locals celebrating Independence Day.
The celebrations marked a visible display of national pride, with ‘Vande Mataram’ and patriotic slogans echoing at several places as people joined the festivities.
A large number of tourists also visited Lal Chowk and participated in the I-Day celebrations, describing the atmosphere as peaceful, vibrant and markedly different from the tense image historically associated with the area.