Clashes erupt in Kulgam amid complete boycott of Indian polls in IOK

SRINAGAR (KMS) – In Occupied Kashmir, amid complete boycott of the fourth phase of so-called Indian parliamentary elections, clashes erupted on Monday between youth and Indian forces in South Kashmir’s Kulgam district where polling is scheduled for Islamabad Lok Sabha constituency. Youths pelted stones at Indian troops stationed at Government Higher Secondary School Qoimoh to protect the polling staff. The troops fired teargas shells to quell the stone-pelting youth. Clashes also erupted between youth and forces in Bugam village of the district. Youth threw stones at the guarding troops at Government Higher Secondary School Bugam where five polling booths have been set up. The troops used force and fired teargas shells to disperse the youth. Out of 3,444 electors eligible for vote at five polling stations in Bugam, no vote was cast till filing of the report while only six votes were cast at 12 polling stations in Qoimoh, Redwani and Khudwani. The clashes were going on in the area when this report was filed. Meanwhile, the authorities suspended train service in the Kashmir Valley in the second leg of three-phased election in the Islamabad Parliamentary Constituency. “Train service was suspended today as a precautionary measure following apprehension of violence when polling was being held in Kulgam district, ” an official said. It is worth mentioning here that the Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) has called for a poll boycott and strike in Kulgam district.