Shutdown in Shopian, Pulwama on India’s poll drama in IOK

SRINAGAR (KMS) – In Occupied Kashmir, a complete shutdown is being observed in south Kashmir’s Shopian and Pulwama districts on Monday against the fifth and final phase of sham Indian parliamentary elections in the territory. All business establishments are closed while traffic is off the roads. Stringent measures in the name of security have been put in place to ensure smooth conduct of the election drama on Islamabad’s Lok Sabha seat. Mobile Internet service has been suspended in South Kashmir, while train service between Baramulla and Banihal has also been cancelled for the day. It is worth mentioning here that the Joint Resistance Leadership has called for a shutdown and boycott of Indian elections in Pulwama and Shopian districts.

Two dozen youth injured in forces’ action in IOK

In Occupied Kashmir, over two dozen youth were injured when Indian troops fired pellets and bullets on protesters in Srinagar, Shopian and Pulwama districts. At least five youth were injured after the troops used brute force and fired shells on protesters in Saraf Kadal and Kadikadal areas of Srinagar. At least 20 more youths were injured as Indian police and paramilitary forces resorted to pellet and teargas shelling on protesters in different areas of Shopian and Pulwama districts. One Sohail Ahmad Dar was critically injured. On the other hand, unknown persons hurled a grenade towards a polling station in Rahmoo area Pulwama district on Monday morning. However, no injuries were reported. A petrol bomb was hurled by the unknown men at polling booth 47 located at Hergam Bathnoor in Tral. However, no damage was reported. The clashes between Indian troops and protesters were going till filing of the report. Some unknown persons also set ablaze a Panchayat Ghar, building of Revenue department (Pathwar Khana) and a polling station set up in Government High School Rajpora building in Pulwama district. Meanwhile, two Indian troops were injured in an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast at Khanthawala in Kupwara district.