Seven killed, scores injured in Srinagar Lok Sabha by-poll

Srinagar: At least seven persons were killed and several others sustained injuries when security forces launched fire on uncontrollable mob in Srinagar's Lok Sabha constituency during by-elections.

Indian Army was pressed into action to help police forces against violent mob, pelting stones and hurling petrol bombs to torch polling booth in the Ganderbal district of the Srinagar constituency.

In a polling station at Pakherpora in Char-e-Sharief area of Budgam district, they even ransacked building where polling was going on.

Violence in the valley hit the by-poll in Srinagar so badly that voter turnout was all-time low at 6.5 per cent.

"The tentative voter turnout for the Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency is 6.5 per cent," Jammu and Kashmir’s Chief Electoral Officer Shantmanu said.

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It may be recalled here that in 2014 general elections the same seat had recorded 26 per cent polling.

"There were more than 200 incidents of violence in the constituency, mostly in Budgam district, which included stone-pelting, petrol bomb attacks, setting ablaze of a polling station, some vehicles and attempt to burn two other polling stations," Shantmanu said.