*Srinagar records lowest voter turnout of 7.14 as violence mars by-poll
Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Apr 9: Srin-agar Parliamentary constituency recorded lowest voter turnout of 7.14 % as the by-poll held today was marred by violence in which eight people were killed and around 200 injured as security forces fired at rampaging mobs.
An official said that hundreds of protestors stormed a polling station at Pakherpora in Chrar-e-Sharief area of Budgam district and ransacked a building housing a polling booth and security forces fired several warning rounds to disperse the mob, which did not relent. “Six persons were injured in the firing, of whom two, 20- year-old Mohammad Abbas and 15-year-old Faizaan Ahmad Rather, succumbed to bullet wounds”, he said.
In another incident, security forces opened fire to quell a stone-pelting mob in Ratsuna area of Beerwah in district Budgam, leaving one Nissar Ahmed dead.
At the Daulatpura in Chadoora Assembly segment of Budgam district, one person, identified as Shabir Ahmed, was killed in firing by security personnel.
Another youth, Adil Farooq, succumbed to multiple pellet injuries in the Kawoosa area of Beerwa constituency in district Budgam.
One Aqib Wani was shot dead as police opened fire on a crowd of protestors in the Beerwah area in the afternoon.
Amir Bashir Malla, resident of Sogam, Chadoora in district Budgam, who was injured earlier in the day succumbed to injuries in the hospital this evening. And Omar Farooq Gania, who was injured in security forces firing at Barsu in Ganderbal district, also succumbed to injuries at SKIMS hospital.
Security force personnel and polling staff were forced to abandon scores of polling stations in Budgam district as they came under heavy stone-pelting by mobs. An official said that 118 polling stations were attacked by mobs in the constituency.
Violence marred polling in some other parts of Srinagar Parliamentary seat as stone pelting incidents were reported from around 200 places across the three districts of Srinagar, Budgam and Ganderbal, which constitute the Srinagar constituency.
A police official said that 3 vehicles were burnt down and 33 were damaged, 21 Electronic Voting Machines were damaged and re-poll will be held at those places, where polling could not be held.
At several polling booths in Budgam, police had to rescue the polling staff for safety as protesters attacked and ransacked the booths.
Army was called out to help security forces quell a rampaging mob which pelted stones and hurled petrol bombs to set a polling booth ablaze in Ganderbal district of the Srinagar constituency.
Chief Electoral Officer Shantmanu told reporters here today that six people were killed and around 117 including police and para-military forces were injured in 200 incidents of violence in Central Kashmir.
He said that around 7.14 percent voter turnout was recorded in Srinagar Parliamentary constituency.
“There were more than 200 incidents of violence in the constituency-mostly in Budgam district – which included stone-pelting, petrol bomb attacks, setting ablaze of a polling station, some vehicles and attempt to burn two other polling stations,” the CEO said.
“It was not a good day as you know. Six lives were lost in these incidents of violence …. 17 civilians were injured while over 100 paramilitary and police personnel also sustained injuries,” he added.
The CEO said a decision on repoll in violence hit areas will be taken after examining the diaries of Presiding Officers. “I cannot tell you exactly how many polling stations will go to repolls … it can be anywhere between 50 and 100. It is a wild guess,” he said.
Shantmanu said the polling percentage was much less than the 26 per cent recorded in 2014 general elections.
The CEO said as many as 1559 polling stations were set up and 6236 poll personnel were deployed for 12,61,395 electorate of Srinagar Parliamentary constituency.
While giving the break-up of votes polled, the CEO said that a total of 90050 votes were polled during the day long exercise. The votes also included those cast by migrants at the special polling stations.
He said in Srinagar district, 24574 votes were polled in eight assembly segments of Srinagar parliamentary Constituency with Hazratbal recording 3483 votes, Zadibal 3280, Eidgah 383, Khanyar 2587, Habba Kadal 2058, Amira Kadal 3331, Sonwar 4777 and Batamaloo 4675. It may be mentioned here that Eidgah Assembly segment is represented by NC’s Mubarak Gul where out of 60,342 votes only 383 votes were polled and it was relatively peaceful as compared to other constituencies.
Similarly in five Assembly segments of Budgam district, a total of 40288 votes were cast with Chadoora recording 602, Budgam 13276, Beerwah 13625, Khan Sahab 9492 and Chrar-e-Sharief 3293 votes.
In two assembly segments of Ganderbal district, a total of 24217 votes were polled that included 15199 in Kangan and 9018 in Ganderbal assembly segments.
He said 3.84 percent polling was recorded in Srinagar, 8.82 percent in Budgam and 14.71 percent in Ganderbal districts.
He said Kangan Assembly segment in Ganderbal district recorded highest voter turnout of 15199, while lowest polling of 383 votes was recorded in Eidgah Assembly segment of Srinagar district.
The CEO said a total of 971 votes were also polled at the three migrant polling centres set up at Jammu, Udhampur and New Delhi.
It is the lowest voter turnout recorded in Srinagar constituency, since the 1989 elections when National Conference’s Mohammad Shafi Bhat won the seat uncontested.
The lowest turnout recorded earlier in this constituency was 11.93 per cent in 1999 when Omar Abdullah defeated Mehbooba Mufti.
The 1989 Parliament elections held in Anantnag and Baramulla seats had witnessed a very low voter turnout in the wake of eruption of militancy.
National Conference stalwart Farooq Abdullah, who lost in 2014 elections, is facing ruling PDP’s Nazir Ahmad Khan in a virtual direct contest even though there are seven other candidates in the fray.
Separatists called for a two-day shutdown against the killing of protestors in security forces firing saying it was the only way for them to express solidarity with the families of those killed and the cause for which they laid down their lives.
“We know hartal would not affect Government policy towards us but it is the only option to express our collective grief,” the separatist leaders Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mohammad Yasin Malik said in a joint statement.
Meanwhile, militants this evening attacked police station in South Kashmir and a polling station was also torched.
Militants this evening attacked police station Yaripora. However, there was no damage.
Miscreants this evening torched Government High School Arihal in Pulwama where polling booth was set up for by polls in Anantnag constituency that goes to vote on March 12.
Meanwhile, Internet services will remain suspended in the entire Kashmir valley till conclusion of the by-poll for Anantnag Lok Sabha seat on April 12, official sources said here today.
The decision followed large scale violence during the by-poll for the Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency today.
Internet services in three districts of Srinagar, Budgam and Ganderbal, which the Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency straddles, were shut down last midnight as a precautionary measure to prevent floating of rumours by anti-national elements.
There were reports that Pakistan-based groups were engaged in spreading “disinformation” on the eve of polls, official sources said.
Though the ban was to be lifted immediately after today’s polling, the authorities decided to extend it across all districts of the Valley till conclusion of the polling in Anantnag.
Meanwhile, Kashmir University has postponed all examinations scheduled to be held till April 12 in the Kashmir valley.
A University spokesperson said that all university examinations, which were scheduled to be held till April 12, 2017, have been postponed.
“Fresh dates for the deferred examinations shall be notified separately later,” he said.
He said the examinations in Cold Zone (Ladakh, Kargil, Nobra, Zanskar and Gurez) have been postponed up to April 16 in view of inclement weather conditions there.
“Fresh dates for these examinations shall also be notified separately,” he added.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti has expressed deep anguish over the loss of lives during today’s polling in Srinagar Parliamentary constituency.
In a statement, the Chief Minister said she is distressed to know that many of those killed were young boys who were yet to understand the intricacies of the issues.
Mehbooba said she has reiterated it time and again that peaceful means and not violence are the only way ahead for getting the State out of the present difficulties.
She said this is the time that people of all shades of opinion in the State should come together and help in stopping this cycle of senseless violence and bloodshed which unfortunately has plagued Jammu & Kashmir for three decades now and left behind a trail of human tragedies.
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