SRI NAGAR: Pulwama and Shopian will pose a tough challenge for the administration when voting is held for J&K’s Anantnag Lok Sabha seat on May 6. Barring a few meetings by NC’s Omar Abdullah, Congress state chief Ghulam Ahmed Mir and PDP head Mehbooba Mufti amidst tight security measures, there has been no poll campaigning in the militancy-hit districts.
The two districts in South Kashmir have emerged as stronghold of homegrown militancy. Dozens of educated youth have joined militancy since 2016 and many of them were killed in gunfights with security forces. There have been frequent clashes between local youth and security personnel during anti-militancy operations.
A security official said the twin districts pose a challenging task. Vote timing is reduced by two hours, and over a large chunk of over 800 additional paramilitary companies will be deployed for security.