Violence hits polling in J-K

Militant outfits struck at around two dozen polling booths across the state, leaving one dead and around 35 injured, and the turnout at 16 p...

Militant outfits struck at around two dozen polling booths across the state, leaving one dead and around 35 injured, and the turnout at 16 per cent, the lowest in the third phase of polls.

State officials, however, blamed the poor turnout on the bad weather which kept voters away. 8216;8216;Losses suffered by orchard owners due to the recent rains had an adverse affect on the turnout. Polls were relatively peaceful,8217;8217; state Chief Secretary S.S. Bloeria said.

But desolate streets in Anantnag, Bijbehara, Kulgam, Shopian and Tral had a different story to tell. The strike called by both factions of the Hurriyat Conference and the Kashmir Bar Association and supported by almost all other separatist organisations crippled life in several parts of the state.

8216;8216;This area is the hometown of our Chief Minister, but only 40 votes were polled till 1 pm. The reason could be two attacks near the polling booth which kept people away,8217;8217; said a police official at Bijbehara. Separatists held demonstrations as CM Mufti Mohammad Sayeed came out to vote at Bijbehara. Police fired in the air to disperse the crowd. 8216;8216;These polls can8217;t solve the Kashmir problem and we must show that we aren8217;t part of this democratic exercise.8217;8217; said Fayaz Parray, a protester.

At Mattan, militants threw a grenade at the Government Women8217;s College, killing Ghulam Hassan Lone, a bank manager, and injuring three others. The Jamiatul Mujahideen militant outfit has claimed responsibility for the attacks on polling stations in Anantnag and Bijbehara.

In Akad village in Pahalgam, protesters alleged they were beaten up for refusing to cast their vote. Residents of Gerant, Saka Mohalla, Aishmuqam, Siligam, Seer Hamdan, Dachinapara, Srigufwara and Batingo too alleged harassment by the Army.