Doda (Jammu and Kashmir), Apr 18 : Thousand''s of devotees are visiting the Subar Nag (serpentine divinity) temple at Bhaderwah in Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir, as part of an annual pilgrimage.

Since thousands of years, people here celebrate the Nag festival with fervour and gaiety.

The Nag festival is considered to be very sacred and auspicious by the locals. Tourists come here from across the country to witness the festival.

Srinagar, Apr 18 : Separatists affiliated to the moderate faction of the All Party Hurriyat (Freedom) Conference took to the street here on Saturday to protest against the ongoing general elections.

They held up banners and raised anti-election slogans in the Lal Chowk area of Srinagar.

"The Election is not a solution to Kashmir problem. Our reason to protest is that those who are agitating for the Kashmir cause should neither participate nor fight elections," said Zaffar Akbar Bhatt, an executive member of the moderate faction.

Srinagar, Kashmir - Two militants of the Lashkar-e-Taiba group and their female associate were killed in a shootout with security forces in India-administered Kashmir on Saturday, police said.

The combat took place near a village in the Doda district about 180 kilometres north-east of the state's winter capital Jammu, after a joint army-police team started search operations.

"The two militants were active in the area and were behind many killings and abductions. They were eliminated in the gunbattle which lasted for an hour," senior police official Parbhat Singh said.

A woman who was with the militants and was believed to be linked with the LeT was also killed.

Srinagar, Apr 16 : The Kashmir Tourism department has come up with a unique way of adding to the idyllic charm of the valley and captivating the tourists.

After nearly two decades, an initiative by state tourism authorities has revived the custom of musical nights in Kashmir.

A musical night organised near the Zabarwan park overlooking Dal Lake in Srinagar on April 14 enthralled the local youngsters.

The event added to the bewitching charm of the valley.

Srinagar, Apr 16 : Kashmir has witnessed an upsurge in the social position of women folk in recent years.

With restrictions on music and other entertainment sources imposed by the rebels, particularly on women, music for them had become a distant dream.

However, a new trend was seen at a latest talent show "Mile Sur", which was organised by Doordarshan in Srinagar with financial assistance of Jammu and Kashmir bank.

Srinagar, Apr. 16 : The moderate faction of the Hurriyat conference has said that it will not use the word boycott in the ongoing parliamentary polls in the state.

A decision to this effect was taken despite the fact that its hardline political faction has chosen to call for the poll boycott and even expressed resolve to conduct an anti-election campaign.

The decision was reached after a three day marathon meeting at the faction''s Rajbagh headquarters in Srinagar.

"Kashmir is a disputed territory and to hold sham elections in the state is a dubious act which will not affect the status of the dispute," the Hurriyat Conference said in a statement issued to the press.