SRINAGAR, Feb 7 (1998) – Moslem separatist guerrillas murdered a politician, stepping up their campaign against upcoming Indian elections, the police said Saturday.
The police identified the victim, Ghulam Mohammed, as a leader of the state’s ruling National Conference Party and said he was shot late Friday night in the town of Tral, some 50 kilometres (31 miles) from Srinagar.
Mohammed was attacked in his home and riddled with bullets, officials said, adding the killing was linked to the anti-election campaign launched by Moslem separatist organisations in Kashmir.
The Kashmir chapter of the national elections would be held on February 16 and 28 and March 7.
Witnesses, meanwhile, said Moslem rebels addressed some one dozen rallies across Kashmir against the elections since Friday despite attempts by Indian troops to break up the meetings.
Some 10,000 Moslems attended such a meeting in the town of Bandipore, 40 kilometres (24 miles) north of Srinagar, on Saturday, the witnesses said.
A similar boycott call given by Moslem rebels in the last elections in 1996 was largely ignored by the people. Turnout of voters in previous elections, however, has been low here compared to other parts of India.
More than 20,000 people have died in Kashmir since 1989 when the Moslem separatists launched their anti-Indian rebellion.
