Arun Sharma

Doda recorded 75 per cent polling, Kishtwar followed at 72 per cent. Elsewhere, officials said polling percentage was 84 in Udhampur, 83 in Reasi, 79 in Ramban, and 79.42 in Kathua districts of Jammu region.

Hiranagar Municipal Committee is one of the half-dozen urban local bodies in the district that are going to polls in the second phase in Jammu and Kashmir on October 10.

During the national anthem, the lecturer kept his one hand in the pocket and another behind his back with one leg taking the support of a wall.

NC spokesperson Madan Mantoo said, ``They have willfully violated the party decision of non-participation in civic boy polls."

Hussain, who spearheaded the agitation against the rape-murder an eight-year-old girl in Kathua district, has allegedly been threatened to be “brutally” killed in custody before he reaches the court for his next hearing, which is scheduled on September 25.

Following the incident, vigil has been stepped up along the International Border. Though senior BSF officials were tight-lipped over the matter, sources said they had lodged a strong protest with their Pakistani counterparts.

Both the PDP and NC have decided to boycott the polls until the Centre clarifies its stand on Article 35-A. The Congress has said the situation is not congenial for the electoral exercise.

The state election commission had on Saturday announced civic body elections to be held in the state in four phases beginning October 8.

Massive search operations had been going on in Jhajjar nullah and areas around it including Jhajjar Kotli and Kakriyal ever since three militants escaped on Wednesday morning after firing at a police party.

The militants also reportedly offered money to the villager's family to take them to the Valley. His family, however, refused to guide them.

Haroon Abbas, who was posted at a pharmaceutical company in Jammu for the past four years as marketing executive, is the second youth from Doda district to pick up the gun since July this year.

“The BJP wants elections to be held, but first the safety of candidates and local people will have to be ensured,” former deputy chief minister Kavinder Gupta, who was part of the party delegation that met Malik Friday, said.

The BJP member alleged that there is no respect for women in the party and “they (party’s male leaders) don’t know how to behave with women”.

“Vohra ko hum nahin laana chahte the... Woh apni dafli bajata tha... Abhi Governor aaya hai, woh hamara banda hai (We did not want to bring Vohra... He used to tomtom his own achievements... The Governor who has come now, he is our man).”

J-K: The arrest was made after a local resident lodged a complaint with Rajouri DC Mohammad Aijaz. “I have ordered police to take stringent action against the accused as his post had the potential to disturb law and order in the border district,’’ the DC said.

Family members of the dead claimed he had been murdered and that he had been receiving threat calls from people involved in the scam.

The latest arrests have come despite the issuance of an advisory by the state government regarding dos and don’ts for admins of WhatsApp groups so as to check circulation of rumours in the state.

After the alleged gangrape, the woman went to the Chenab bridge and around 7.30 pm called the accused a number of times and threatened to commit suicide by jumping into the river.

Gagan Bhagat, the MLA from RS Pura, in Jammu division, has asked people of Jammu, where many are believed to be in favour of the law being struck down, to discuss the issue and raise their voice in support of Article 35A.