Indian police on Monday imposed curfew-like curbs on movement of people across several parts of disputed Kashmir, a day after clashes with protesters during a by-election killed eight people and injured more than 200. Separatist factions in Kashmir called for a two-day strike in protest. Their calls to boycott the poll in Srinagar, and the ensuing violence, resulted in voter turnout of a mere 7 percent on Sunday and forced 70 polling stations to shut down. During clashes in Budgam district, police initially used tear gas against protesters who were throwing stones, but then opened fire, killing seven people, a senior police official told Reuters. One protester was killed in a separate incident. Security was beefed up on Monday across the Himalayan region, with police blocking roads with barricades and restricting movement of vehicles. Some train services were also suspended in the region, a railway official said.
India accuses Pakistan of backing separatist fighters – a charge Islamabad denies. Kashmir, part of India’s only Muslim-majority state, witnessed deadly protests after a well-known separatist militant was killed last year.
The violence has killed 84 civilians and wounded more than 12,000 civilians and security force personnel.
The state’s chief electoral officer, Shantmanu, said “more than 200 incidents of violence” were reported on Sunday, including stone-pelting, petrol bomb attacks and setting ablaze of a polling station.
Full Article: India clamps down on Kashmir transport after poll violence kills eight | Reuters.