Srinagar bypoll: 1 killed, 5 injured in clashes

Srinagar: One person was killed and five others were injured in clashes between security forces and protesters as polling for by-election to the Srinagar parliamentary constituency began here, leading to abysmally low voting in many parts. The BSF opened fire in Pakharpora near Charar-e-Sharif area to quell stone-pelting protesters in which at least one person was killed and five injured.

Violent incidents were reported particularly from the central district of Budgam where miscreants pelted stones on polling booths this morning, a police official said. The violence affected the overall voting percentage which was in some booths was even below 1 per cent in the first two hours. Kangan and Ganderbal reported only two persons polled in the district.
Two polling stations had to be abandoned because of heavy stone pelting in the Charar-e-Sharif area.

Unconfirmed reports said the condition of two of those injured is critical. The official said stone-pelting incidents were also reported from Ganderbal districts of central Kashmir which are part of Srinagar Parliamentary constituency where polling began at 7 AM.

Meanwhile, normal life was affected in the three poll-bound districts of the Valley due to a strike called by separatist groups, who have asked people to stay away from the election process.

Most of the shops, fuel stations and other business establishments in the districts of Srinagar, Budgam and Ganderbal were shut, while public transport was off the roads, the official said. He, however, said that few private cars were seen plying in these areas. The government has declared a holiday for today in these three districts.