Tuesday, April 23News and updates from Kashmir

Empty Polling Booths in Khudwani- Zero Votes Polled out of 2562- 15 in Wanpoh out of 2743

April 29

Danish Sofi

The mood in South Kashmir’s Kulgam district is grim after being at the brunt of killing post July 2016 when a prominent Militant commander, Burhan Wani was killed, here people have chose to stay indoors and boycott the polls being held in the district on Monday.

Khudwani that has been one of the most impacted areas of the Kashmir valley is witnessing empty pooling booths, silenced streets and riot ready Government Force personnel deployed in large numbers, amid a ban on the mobile internet imposed by Government in all four districts of South Kashmir- Pulwama, Kulgam, Shopian and Islamabad (anantnag).

For khudwani, the polling booth has been established in the nearby Shemford school in Wanpoh and a total of 2562 people are registered as voters, four polling booths, A, B, C, and D have been installed in the private school which is being guarded by hundreds of Government Force personnel.

Polling staff deployed there confirmed to The Kashmiriyat that zero votes have been polled till 8:45 am in the polling booth out of a total of 2562 votes.

In nearby Laram Ganjipora and Wanpoh, out of 2743 voters, only 15 have cast their votes.

In Panzath area of Qazigund, 97 votes have been polled out of a total of 1949 votes.

Late on Monday evening, intense clashes had erupted in various areas of the South Kashmir district, immediately after which the internet services were snapped.