Curfew in Indian Kashmir capital ahead of vote
Curfew in Indian Kashmir capital ahead of vote
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Wednesday, 24, Dec 2008 10:19
Tens of thousands of troops are currently patrolling in Indian Kashmir today ahead of the final phase of elections in the disputed Muslim-majority region.
About 30,000 soldiers were deployed onto the streets in Srinagar and more than 20,000 in Jammu and Samba to prevent militant attacks and anti-election protests by Muslim separatists opposed to Indian rule in Kashmir.
Separatist groups and armed rebels have called for a boycott of the polls, claiming they will strengthen New Delhi's hold over the region.
Small protests were dispersed by police throughout Srinagar on Wednesday.
Police said earlier they had arrested three men who were apparently planning suicide bomb attacks in the city of Jammu.
The dispute over Kashmir has raged between Indian and Pakistan for decades, with relations having been further strained due to last month's terrorist attacks on Mumbai, which left almost 180 people dead.
Tens of thousands of people have been killed since 1989 when an armed insurgency against Indian rule in Kashmir began.