55 per cent voting in Kashmir, no impact of militant boycott call

Baramulla, Apr 24 (UNI) About 55 per cent voters today cast their ballots in three Assembly constituencies of Pattan, Rafiabad and Sangrama amid a thick security blanket despite militant outfits and separatist groups urging the people to boycott polls.

Barring two hand grenade attacks near polling booths in Pattan constituency, the polling was largely peaceful. Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate from Sangrama constituency Javid Hussain Baig escaped unhurt while 21 people, including two security personnel were injured in a grenade blast.

They said highest voter turnout of about 67 per cent was recorded in Rafiabad assembly segment followed by more than 57 per cent in Pattan and 41 in Sangrama.

Long queues could be seen outside the polling stations much before the polling began.

A 83-year-old physically challenged Abdul Gani Mir was among the first who to cast his ballot at Janbazpora polling booth.

All the polling booths x x x eds : pls pick up here from line one para four of DR 7, ELECTION-KASHMIR-POLLING-BEGINS.

UNI BAS YA KP1840