Kashmiris vote against background of militant deaths and army violence

INDIAN-RULED Kashmir ended the first stage of state assembly elections yesterday against a backdrop of violence and in the shadow of a tense confrontation between nuclear powers India and Pakistan.

Indian security forces said they had killed 17 militants who tried to cross into the territory from Pakistan, but despite violence elsewhere authorities expressed satisfaction with what they said was a 44% turnout by the time polls closed.

It was lower than the statewide 54% at the last election in 1996, but some of the most volatile regions, including all border constituencies, voted yesterday. The figure could be boosted when less violent constituencies vote in the weeks ahead.