Budgam re-polling under heightened security; 80 held

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Adil Lateef
Srinagar, Apr 12: After large-scale violence and civilian killings marred by-elections in Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency last Sunday, authorities have made heightened security arrangements for re-polling in 38 polling stations in Budgam district.
Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Shantmanu told Excelsior that robust security arrangements will be in place at all polling stations to ensure free, fair and secure polling. “I can say that robust security arrangements will be in place. The companies of police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) will be deployed at all these stations so that no outsider other than voters’ enters polling station premises,” he said.
The CEO said that there will be two-layer security in place for smooth conduct of re-polling. “The first layer of security will be for the safety of our polling staff and second layer will be to stop disruptive elements from entering polling stations,” he said, adding that the polling will start at 7am and conclude at 4pm.
Sources said that 64 companies of CRPF will be deployed for the security of all these 38 polling stations. Besides, they said, the Jammu and Kashmir Police will also remain deployed. However no company of Border Security Force or Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) will be deployed in any poll-bound area. A day before polling, police rounded up at least 80 from different parts of Budgam district – mainly poll bound areas – to avert any possible trouble on voting day.
Meanwhile, youths resorted to stone-pelting on polling station designate primary school in Gondipora area of Beerwah Assembly segment today. A police officer said the school was re-opened this morning and routine classes were started but some youths pelted stones on it, prompting school authorities to suspend class work. No one was injured in the stone-pelting.
In the meanwhile, the life in Kashmir Valley returned to normalcy after two days of shutdown against the civilian killings. The shops, commercial establishments, educational institutes and fuel stations re-opened in Srinagar while transport also plied smoothly.
Although day-passed off peacefully but clashes erupted at two places in Pulwama district while a school was set ablaze by unidentified persons in Kulgam district. A police officer said that unknown persons this morning set ablaze a higher secondary school in Araw village of Kulgam district. He said the fire damaged library of the school while rest was saved.
The situation inside Government Degree College Pulwama aggravated after army entered the college premises. Students protested the army presence and later pelted stones on the soldiers. However situation normalized later. The clashes also erupted at Tahab in Pulwama district against the death of one local woman allegedly due to teargas smoke yesterday.
In the meantime, Police registered attempt to murder and criminal assault on female, cases against five National Conference (NC) workers.
Police registered case vide FIR number 24/2017 U/S 307, 341 against five National Conference workers at police station Kothibagh for assaulting a voter and his aunt for refusing their offer to cast votes in favor of a particular candidate against Rs 1,000.
The report said a man from Srinagar and his ailing aunt were allegedly roughed up by NC workers at Biscoe School polling booth. The man suffered grievous injuries. Police is looking for the six accused.
Meanwhile, train service between Srinagar and Banihal in Jammu region was this afternoon resumed after remaining suspended for three days due to security reasons.
However, rail service between Srinagar-Baramulla in North Kashmir remained suspended apprehending trouble in view of re-polling in 38 polling stations tomorrow in Budgam of Srinagar Parliamentary constituency.
“Train service on Srinagar-Anantnag-Qazigund in south Kashmir to Banihal in Jammu region has been resumed after receiving security clearance,” a railway official said this evening.
However, he said no train will run on Srinagar-Badgam in central Kashmir to Baramulla in north Kashmir track. The train services were resumed following improvement in the situation in Kashmir, where both the factions of the Hurriyat Conference (HC) and Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) withdrew the strike call for today after Election Commission of India (ECI) deferred the by-polls in Anantnag Lok Sabha seat following violence during by-election in Srinagar Parliamentary constituency.
According to District Magistrate Budgam restrictions under Section-144 shall remain in force in the district tomorrow except for those areas where re-poll is to be held.

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