Polling picks up in Anantnag, Kulgam, tension prevails in Shopian, Pulwama

While polling picks up in Anantnag constituency's Kulgam and Anantnag districts, tension followed stone pelting and detention of youth in Pulwama and Shopian districts, where most people preferred to stay indoor till 10 am.

While polling picks up in Anantnag constituency's Kulgam and Anantnag districts, tension followed stone pelting and detention of youth in Pulwama and Shopian districts, where most people preferred to stay indoor till 10 am.

"My vote will change life for good," said Haji Ghulam Ahmad Laway, a 110-year-old voter at Kulgam's HC Gam.

At two polling stations, 167 cast their votes out of 800 while 143 polled their franchise out if 931. Similarly, voting picked up in parts of Anantnag district where voting is picking up in Dooru and Danwath Brang.

However, the situation is contrast in Pulwama and Shopian districts. The police crackdown and stone pelting since two days have forced people to stay indoors. "Even if people wanted to vote, they have decided not to after excesses of the police. They entered our villages and broke window panes," alleged a resident of Weil village of Shopian. Shopian town was observing a shutdown. In several areas stone throwing protesters were not allowing voting.

Several people said they are boycotting polls on the call of Separatists. In Shopian, only three votes were polled at three polling station with more than 3000 votes till 9am.