* Chrar at 69.8%, Habba Kadal at 5.59%; Srinagar 26.17%
Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Apr 30:After major crackdown in Srinagar Parliamentary constituency against separatists, high to moderate polling was recorded in Budgam and Ganderbal district while low voter turnout was recorded in Srinagar district with the total poll percentage of the constituency recorded at 26 percent while a youth was killed and 5 others were injured in alleged police and paramilitary firing this evening after stone pelting on the troops and poll staff at various places across Srinagar city.
A youth was killed and five persons including a woman were injured in an alleged Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and police firing in Nawakadal and other areas of Srinagar this evening after stone pelting on poll staff and security forces soon after the polls ended in the constituency.
A police official said that paramilitary CRPF opened fire on a group of protesters at Nawakadal area of Srinagar following injury to one of its personnel in stone pelting.
The official said that a group of protesters had assembled at Nawa Kadal area and were protesting. They pelted stones at CRPF wounding a paramilitary personnel identified as Sandeep Kumar of 131 battalion.
The official said that youth also tried to snatch a rifle from one of the security force men and the troops opened fire killing one Bashir Ahmad Bhat son of Ghulam Mohammad Bhat of Gratbal and Nazir Ahmad Kaloo. Three more persons including Haleema Bano wife of Reyaz Ahmad Sheikhsaz of Gretbal Nawakadal was injured in pellet firing.
Medical Superintendent, SKIMS Farooq Ahmad Jan said that a youth was brought dead to the hospital. He had received bullet in abdomen.
Hundreds of people came out in streets in old city to protest against his killing and he was later buried in Eidgah graveyard.
An official of the district administration told Excelsior that strict restrictions have been imposed in old city area of Srinagar to avoid any clashes tomorrow in the aftermath of killing of the youth in police firing.
Meanwhile, Chairmen of both the factions of Hurriyat Conference, Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Omar Farooq and JKLF chairman, Yasin Malik, called for shutdown tomorrow against killing of the youth.
Police had to resort to aerial firing and fire tear smoke shells to disperse stone throwing youth soon after polls ended in Srinagar constituency at various places.
Protests and trouble broke in various parts of Srinagar constituency despite major crackdown against separatist in which over 1300 people were rounded up ahead of polls and senior separatist leaders were put under house arrest.
In the meantime, the figures of the Election Commission of India revealed that in Srinagar district’s Hazratbal Assembly segment 17, 405 votes were polled out of 97118, in Zadibal 4243 votes were polled out of 75895, in Eidgah 6325 votes were polled out of 58298, in Khanyar 5155 votes were polled out of 50445, in Habba Kadal 2270 votes were polled out of 52790, in Amira Kadal 6503 votes were polled out of 84123, in Sonwar 1299 votes were polled out of 75836 and in Batmaloo Assembly segment 15270 votes were polled out of 1, 17, 635.
The polling percentage of Hazratbal, Zadibal, Eidgah, Khanyar, Habba Kadal, Amira Kadal, Sonwar and Batmaloo Assembly segments is 17.92, 5.59, 10.85, 10.22, 4.3, 7.73, 17.14 and 12.98 respectively. The overall percentage of the district is 11.46.
The figures suggested that in Ganderbal district’s Kangan Assembly segment 42, 500 votes were polled out of 67,875 and in Ganderbal segment 26, 099 votes were polled out of 89,347. The total poll percentage of the district is 44.20 percent with Kangan having highest poll percentage of 64 and Ganderbal 30. The overall poll percentage of the district is 45.61.
The figures suggested that in Budgam district’s Chadoora Assembly segment 29, 471 votes were polled out of 83, 289, in Budgam 35, 852 votes were polled out of 1,00,451, in Beerwah 30, 065 votes were polled out of 92, 098, in Khan Sahib 24, 421 votes were polled out of 84,718 and in Chrar-e-Sharif 53, 775 votes were polled out of 77, 037.
The poll percentage in Chadoora, Budgam, Beerwah, Khan Sahib and Chrar-e-Sharif is 35.38, 35.38, 32.64, 28.83 and 69.8 percent respectively. The overall poll percentage of the district is 39.50.
The Chief Electoral Officer of the State, Umang Narula told a news conference in Srinagar this evening that 26 per cent people voted in Srinagar constituency.
The CEO said that 11.46 per cent votes were cast in Srinagar, 39.50 percent in Budgam and 45.61percent in Ganderbal districts and figures of exact polling are being received from different areas of these districts, which would subsequently add up the final poll percentage. He said around 2500 migrant voters also exercised their franchise in special polling booths set up in Jammu, Udhampur and Delhi.
Narula said that as many as 1546 polling stations were set up across the Parliamentary Constituency, which included 233 critical and 1021 hypersensitive. He also said that web casting was done in as many as 44 booths, besides 15 digital as well as 51 video cameras were installed for covering the voting process.
Narula said 197 Micro Observers were deployed for the Parliamentary Constituency and 14 candidates were in fray for the Constituency which comprised 12, 06, 919 electors covering 15 Assembly segments.
In Srinagar city, majority of the areas witnessed low turnout, however, certain pockets witnessed moderate polling raising the poll average of Srinagar district to 11.46 percent. Ganderbal and Budgam witnessed moderate turn out with highest in Chrar-e-Sharif at 69.8 per cent.
The separatists and militants had called for poll boycott. They had asked people to stay away from poll process.
In Kangan long queues were waiting outside Polling Stations and people were eager to cast their vote. “We vote for the betterment of our community”, said Laldin, a 65-year old Gujjar in Kangan.
In Kharihama, Lar area of Ganderbal there was moderate polling. Abdul Hamid, an unemployed youth said: “We are voting for peace, improvement in security situation, we want to see an end to unemployment. We are voting for change.”
In Budgam district, there was heavy turnout compared to Srinagar. However, parts of Budgam Assembly segment where National Conference MLA, Aga Syed Ruhullah was alleged to have taken active part in last year’s sectarian violence saw very low turnout. The National Conference hardcore supporters who have never missed to vote for their party since 1996 despite threats, for the first time stayed away from polls.
“Our own MLA for whom we voted, acted against us. Instead being neutral, he played active part in sectarian clashes”, alleged Farooq Ahmad of Soibugh area, an NC supporter. “We stayed away from poll process and even no one from the NC came here for campaigning. They ignored us and we ignored them”, he added.
In Srinagar, streets were looking deserted with police and paramilitary CRPF patrolling them. The majority of the Polling Stations recorded almost negligible poll percentage but some pockets and countryside witnessed moderate polling raising the poll percentage of the district to 11.46.
In Shadab Colony Ahmad Nagar area of Srinagar that witnessed over 24 long gun battle early this month in which two militants were killed, only 5 votes were polled out of 1323 till evening.
In 45-Naidyar, 46-Naidbomi and 47-Hassibhat Polling Stations of Rainawari where a teenage student, Wamiq Farooq, was killed in alleged police firing in 2010, only 20 votes were cast out of 2300. The residents of the area said that they stayed away from polls as their neighbour couldn’t get justice.
In Ikhrajpora which was thought to be strong bastion of National Conference and where polling percentage over the years remained 80 percent, it nosedived to 16 percent. Out of 1806 votes in two polling Stations of the locality, only 296 were polled.
The fate of National Conference senior leader, Dr Farooq Abdullah and PDP leader Tariq Hamid Karra has been sealed today along with 12 other candidates. However, there is neck and neck contest between Abdullah and Karra.
Meanwhile, the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly and senior leader of the National Conference Mubarak Gul was seen to have spent two hours in his polling station in Eidgah against the ECI guidelines. When asked about the violation of Model Code of Conduct by Gul, Returning Officer of the Constituency, Farooq Shah said: “We have received no such complaint.”
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