Muslim separatist militants in Indian Kashmir narrowly missed a former state chief minister in a grenade attack as the revolt-hit state geared up for national elections, police said.
No one was hurt in the attack, which failed to prevent ex-chief Farooq Abdullah from attending an election rally to drum up support for his son Omar, who is running for Parliament with the pro-India National Conference Party.
”The rebels fired the rifle grenade in central Budgam district just a few minutes after his motorcade had passed,” a police spokesperson said. No further details were immediately available.
Abdullah, whose National Conference party lost power in Kashmir in 2002, has survived at least three earlier attempts against his life.
The grenade blast came after Indian Kashmir troops said they shot dead on Monday three Pakistani militants allegedly planning to disrupt elections starting on Tuesday. Three other people were also killed in pre-poll violence.
Troops shot the militants along the de facto border dividing the disputed Himalayan territory between nuclear rivals India and Pakistan, defence spokesperson Colonel Najib Singh said.
Rebels have warned Kashmiris of dire consequences if they take part in the polls in which 6,3-million state residents can vote.
”I won’t risk my life for these elections,” said Ghulam-u-Din, a resident of northern Baramulla.
But shopkeeper Imtiaz Mir in nearby Kunzer village said he would vote for anyone who could ease chronic unemployment, water and power scarcity woes in the scenic state where the revolt has raged against Indian rule since 1989.
”I’ll definitely vote if things stay peaceful.”
Security has been stepped up in heavily militarised Kashmir to try to ensure peaceful polling. About 7 000 paramilitary troops have been deployed to join 65 000 currently fighting the revolt. Troops have been stationed at polling stations.
There has been no let-up in violence in the region despite a nascent peace process between India and Pakistan aimed at settling their dispute over Kashmir, the trigger of two of their three wars.
India accuses Pakistan of fomenting the revolt, which officials say has claimed 40 000 lives — half the estimate of separatists.
Pakistan rejects the charge but says it gives moral support to a legitimate freedom struggle.
In other violence, insurgents shot dead a National Conference activist, a civilian and a former militant, police said.
Two Kashmir states vote on Tuesday in parliamentary elections as staggered voting in the world’s largest democratic process gets under way. — Sapa-AFP