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Jammu and Kashmir election: Historic turnout even as another sarpanch slain

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As curtains came down on the five-phase assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir, militants killed another Sarpanch in cold blood in the apple rich town of Sopore on Saturday.

The turnout in the five phase polls broke the 27 year old record with 65.9% people exercising their franchise to elect 87 MLAs despite the militant threats and the separatist boycott calls in Jammu and Kashmir.

The turnout is five percent more than the 2008 polls when 61.49 percent people cast their ballot notwithstanding the polarisation on the regional and religious lines over the Amarnath land row. The turnout in 2002 assembly polls was 43.69 percent.

"The overall percentage for the 2014 assembly elections of all the five phases has been recorded as 66%, which is 5% more than the 2008 when the overall voter percentage stood at 61%", said Umang Narulla, Chief Electoral Officer J&K.

Around 76 per cent people exercised their franchise in the fifth and final phase of the polls in the 20 assembly constituencies spread over three districts of Jammu, Rajouri and Kathua districts of Jammu division on Saturday. The highest turnout of 83.20 % was recorded in Bani and lowest 60% in Gandhinagar.

"People wanted change and that is why they are voting in huge numbers this time round. We hope new government will solve our problems", said Jayant Singh, a voter in Jammu division

Even as people celebrated the festival of democracy, the militants struck again and assassinated another Sarpanch in Sopore.

Police said motorcycle borne militants fired at Ghulam Mohommad Bhat from the close range near the Main Chowk of Bomai village causing him grievous injuries. Bhat was immediately shifted to hospital where he was declared brought dead by the doctors.

This is the second sarpanch to have been killed in the last one week in Sopore. On December 13, a group of khaki-clad militants killed 62 year old Sarpanch Ghulam Mohommad Mir aka Bedar, hours after abducting him from his home at Hygam- Sopore in north Kashmir's Baramulla district.

This is fourth killing of panchayat members and their relations during the ongoing polls in Jammu and Kashmir. On November 16 a brother of a Sarpanch was killed in Pulwama district. Another Sarpanch was assassinated in Shopian district of south Kashmir on November 30.

"A sarpanch shot dead, this time in the Sopore region. Another grim reminder of the risks associated with fighting an election, tweeted Omar Abdullah, J&K chief minister.

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