Date:02/10/2002 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2002/10/02/stories/2002100205340100.htm

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16 killed as violence mars J&K polls

By Shujaat Bukhari

A security person stands guard while voters wait for their turn in Pulwama in south Kashmir on Tuesday. — Photo: Nissar Ahmad

ANANTNAG/ PULWAMA OCT. 1. A low to moderate turnout, boycott of polls and many militant attacks marked the third phase of polling in Jammu and Kashmir today. As many as 27 attacks by militants took place in which at least 16 persons were killed and many injured. The enthusiasm witnessed in the rural segments in the first and second phases was missing.

The Chief Electoral Officer, Pramod Jain, said the third phase of polling in Anantnag, Pulwama, Kathua and Udhampur districts recorded a voter turnout of 41 per cent. While Kathua recorded the highest turnout of 59 per cent, it was followed by Udhampur (56), Pulwama (28) and Anantnag (25).

In the Kashmir division, Rajpora recorded the highest of 37 per cent and Pampore the lowest at seven per cent. Jammu, however, was different and the highest voter turnout was 67 per cent in Bani and the lowest 46 per cent in the Hiranagar segments. "Violence-free polls prompted our friends from across the border and they did everything to disrupt the polls today,'' said Mr. Jain adding "this was despite the highest level of arrangements and alertness.'' But for these incidents, the percentage and enthusiasm would have been much better. Despite threats and boycott calls, people came out in high numbers to exercise their franchise, he said.

The major towns of Anantnag, Pulwama, Shopian and Bijbehara wore a deserted look even at the end of the day with most of the booths not crossing the single digit. Boycott of polls was near total in these towns. In Shopian, hundreds of people took out a procession against alleged coercion by the security forces, who, they said, forced them out to cast the vote. Slogans such as "we want freedom'' were raised. No slogans for "azadi" (freedom) were raised but people said they had lost "faith" in the system. "We have not seen the MLA, we do not have power supply, no roads, no employment, why should we vote'' asked an angry resident. Tral looked like a ghost town and angry crowds protested against the elections.

In Bijbehara, hometown of the People's Democratic Party president, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, not a single voter had turned up till 1 p.m. at a polling station having 1,041 voters. Anantnag too was deserted. At the Sarak polling station, of 1,405 votes, only two votes had been polled. In the Lal Chowk booth, just one vote was cast by a retired civil servant out of 838 votes.

In Akar, Aishmuqam, Botakot and Mamal, though at a low pace, voting was on with people saying that they had come on their own. "There was no coercion'' said a voter at Botakot in the Pahalgam segment where 30 votes of 1,301 had been polled at 10.35 a.m. Pahalgam did not show much enthusiasm but voters were waiting for their turn. At Kaimoh village in the Homeshalibug segment, no voter was seen but 201 votes had been polled out of 1,110.

Kulgam, where the CPI (M) sitting MLA, M. Y. Tarigami, is pitted against the National Conference nominee, G. N. Dar, the turnout was again not encouraging though people said they were voting out of their own volition. The division among the voters here was evident. Out of 995 votes, 207 had been polled at 1.40 p.m. A scuffle took place between the contesting parties. Chansar village observed a boycott and only six votes had been polled at 2 p.m. "We will not vote as we have laid down the lives of 80,000 people for azadi,'' said a person.

A general strike was observed in the Kashmir Valley today paralysing normal life. The call was given by the All-Party Hurriyat Conference in protest against the elections.