Police, anti-poll protesters clash in north Kashmir

Police and a group of people protesting against the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir clashed in north Kashmir's Bandipora town when polling was in progress in the constituency.

Police and a group of people protesting against the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir clashed in north Kashmir's Bandipora town on Monday afternoon when polling was in progress in the constituency.

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“A small group of protesters came out in the town to dissuade voters from casting their votes. We have taken cognizance of the matter and the anti-poll protesters have been chased away,” Sheikh Junaid, superintendent of police in Bandipora district, told IANS.

Reports from the town said there was tension when the police arrested two of the protesting youth and now the locals were demanding their release.

In the neighbouring Sonawari constituency, where also polling is in progress, supporters of the regional National Conference (NC) and the People's Democratic Party (PDP) clashed at Poshpora polling station in Naidkhai area, 40 km from Srinagar.

The clash broke out when PDP supporters accused the NC workers of booth capturing at the polling station.

in Sonawari, NC's Muhammad Akbar Lone is contesting against Yasir Reshi of the PDP and an influential independent Shia candidate, Abid Ansari.

Jammu and Kashmir went to polls on Monday in the first phase of the seven-phase assembly elections.