Srinagar, India - At least 10 people were injured when the police used batons to disperse an anti-election protest in India's northern Jammuand Kashmir state Sunday, police said.
The fourth leg of a seven-phase staggered election is being held in the restive state. Separatist political parties called a boycott of the elections for the state legislative assembly.
There was brisk to moderate polling in the 18 constituencies where polling was being held Sunday, election officials said.
Police baton-charged a large group of protestors in Sopore town, about 50 kilometres north of state capital Srinagar, injuring 10 people, the officials said.
New Delhi - Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Sunday denied making a telephone call to Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari in the immediate aftermath of the Mumbai terrorist attacks.
According Pakistan's The Dawn newspaper, the "hoax" call convinced many in Zardari's office that the "Indians had started beating the war drums."
Mukherjee, in his first comments on the matter, said, "It is, however, worrying that a neighbouring state might even consider acting on the basis of such a hoax call, try to give it credibility with other states, and confuse the public by releasing the story in part."
London/Mumbai, Dec. 7 : Sources close to Indian intelligence have claimed that another terror attack before the 2009 general election would almost certainly make war between India and Pakistan inevitable.
America and Britain are keen that the present friction between Islamabad and New Delhi does not distract Pakistan, and make it take a decision to end their offensive against Al-Qaeda and Taliban "safe havens" in tribal areas close to the Afghan border.
According to The Sunday Times, an Indian intelligence report claims the Mumbai gunmen were among a large group of volunteer "fedayeen" trained in commando tactics by Pakistan army and navy instructors over 18 months from December 2006.
New Delhi, Dec. 7 : External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee has condemned Pakistan in strong words clarifying his stance on the hoax call issue.
“I had made no such telephone call. My last and only conversation with President Asif Ali Zardari was in Islamabad during my visit to Pakistan in May 2006,” Mukherjee said in a statement released by the External Affairs Ministry today.
Lahore, Dec. 7: Suggesting that there is enough evidence of former Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) officers involvement in the planning and execution of last week''s terror attacks in Mumbai, Arizona Senator and Republican presidential candidate in 2008 John McCain has warned that if Pakistan does not act fast to arrest them, India will conduct air strikes on select targets in Pakistan.
Srinagar, Dec 7 : Fourth phase of the seven phased elections is going on in Jammu and Kashmir today.
18 constituencies where the votes are being polled include Udhampur, Reasi, Baramullah and Budgam.
Polling of votes started at eight in the morning and will close at four in the afternoon. Tight security arrangements have been made at all polling stations. In Gool Arnas constituency of Reasi, 109 polling stations have been set up for 50,000 electorate.
Being the militancy prone area 77 polling stations have been declared hyper sensitive, 23 sensitive leaving only 9 stations normal. An impressive arrangement of security has been made for peaceful conduct of poll.
New Delhi, Dec. 7 : External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee has condemned Pakistan in strong words clarifying his stance on the hoax call issue.
Lahore, Dec. 7: Suggesting that there is enough evidence of former Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) officers involvement in the planning and execution of last week''s terror attacks in Mumbai, Arizona Senator and Republican presidential candidate in 2008 John McCain has warned that if Pakistan does not act fast to arrest them, India will conduct air strikes on select targets in Pakistan.
