Violence in Valley ahead of Srinagar bypoll: Miscreants attack polling staff, stations in Kashmir

Srinagar: Miscreants stepped up attacks on polling staff and polling stations in Kashmir’s Budgam district, a day ahead of bypolls to Srinagar Lok Sabha seat. Some miscreants tried to set ablaze a government school building, designated as a polling station, in Narbal area of Budgam district late last night, DGP SP Vaid said.

He said the building was saved by the timely action of police personnel deployed in the area. In a separate incident, a group of youth pelted stones at polling staff, who were on their way to polling station, in Beerwah area of Budgam this morning, a police official said.

The police swung into action and chased away the accused, the official said, adding no one was hurt in the brief clashes.

Meanwhile, a low intensity blast occurred inside a government school premises, which has been designated as a polling station, in Khanyar of the state capital, triggering panic in the area.

The very low intensity blast took place due to mishandling of a tear gas canister by secuirty forces personnel, a police spokesman said.

Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency, spread over three districts of Srinagar, Budgam and Ganderbal is scheduled to go to polls tomorrow. The by-poll has been necessitated by resignation of then PDP leader and member Lok Sabha Tariq Hameed Karra last year to protest against the “atrocities” by security forces during the summer unrest triggered by the killing of Hizbul Mujhaideen commander Burhan Wani in an encounter in July last year.