Youths in Kashmir's Sopore beat up Wednesday's voters

Srinagar, May 8 (IANS) Groups of youth in Jammu and Kashmir's Sopore Thursday beat up several people who had come there from neighbouring Kupwara district after Wednesday's voting in the Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency.

Eye-witnesses said groups of angry youth stopped public transport vehicles coming from Kupwara district to Sopore town during the day and paraded passengers to identify those who had voted.

"Those with indelible ink marks on their fingers were beaten up and even windshields of transport vehicles carrying them were smashed by the mob," said an eye-witness who did not wish to be named.

Sopore town observed a strike Thursday and after the violence, public transport into the town also came to a halt.

Sopore assembly segment had recorded the lowest voter percentage of around 1 percent during Wednesday's voting while the neighbouring Kupwara district recorded 65 percent turnout.

Sopore is the hometown and the traditional stronghold of hardline separatist leader, Syed Ali Geelani who called for a boycott of the Lok Sabha elections.