Fear shadows night before

Empty streets and downed shutters. The only signs of life are tense securitymen and a few village elders assembled at streetcorners. A night...

Empty streets and downed shutters. The only signs of life are tense securitymen and a few village elders assembled at streetcorners. A night before the third phase of J-K polls, fear has gripped South Kashmir.

The threat of a militant strike is real. Late this evening, a grenade was hurled in the main Awantipore market on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, injuring two villagers. Police said the securitymen who were targeted.

Last night, militants fired rockets at a security force camp in Satoora, Tral, injuring one. An area with a massive Jaish and Hizbul presence, Tral8217;s main contestant is a doctor on the NC ticket. Ghulam Nabi Bhat has lost his father and two brothers to militants8217; bullets, one just two months ago.

In the neighbouring Pampore constituency, militants used grenade guns to attack a polling booth at the Girls School injuring a polling officer, a driver and conductor and a security man. Pampore is expecting a close contest between the Congress and the PDP.

The Kulgam constituency too is on the edge. A senior police officer said that Lashkar has increased its activities here as it8217;s on one of the major infiltration routes: the Bramsar-Shersar area and Peer ki gali-Chor ki gali passes.

The security establishment is prepared. 8216;8216;South Kashmir is different from other areas. There is a heavy militant presence and the psyche of people is altogether different,8217;8217; said Deputy Inspector General of Police, South Kashmir, M.A. Anjum. 8216;8216;We have devised a three-tier security arrangement for the polling day.8217;8217;

He said the Army and the BSF would send road-opening parties, conduct patrolling and 8216;8216;sanitise8217;8217; the areas. 8216;8216;There are around 3,000 central paramilitary personnel who will take care of security at booths.8217;8217;

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Besides, Anjum said, the local police is also chipping in for frisking and other duties.

Anjum is worried especially about the upper reaches of Noorabad, where J-K Tourism Minister Sakina Ittoo was attacked four times in a fortnight. 8216;8216;Around 90 per cent of Noorabad booths are hyper sensitive,8217;8217; Anjum said. 8216;8216;The areas in the foothills of Pir Panjal range8212;the upper reaches of Shopian, Dooru and Chattergul in Kokernag, Sirigufwara Kheram in Bijbehara and interiors of Wachi are volatile,8217;8217; he said.

On the highway that divides the standing rice crop near Bijbehara in Anantnag, streets are empty and the main market closed at 3 pm. 8216;8216;The market was shut down at around 2 pm. Everybody wants to play safe,8217;8217; says 22-year-old Irshad Ahmad.

In the heart of Anantnag at Lal Chowk, a few shopkeepers are wrapping things up. Tension is visible and there is hardly anybody except securitymen. Abdul Rehman Bhat, a cloth merchant, says: 8216;8216;There won8217;t be much turnout as nobody wants to risk his life. If we vote we are in trouble, if we don8217;t we are still in trouble,8217;8217; he said.