Separatists call for bandh after protests over killing of Hizbul commander

Srinagar, May 27: Separatists in Kashmir Valley have called for a two-day shutdown from tomorrow over the "use of force" against the protesters following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Sabzar Ahmad Bhat today in an encounter with security forces in Pulwama district.

The separatists also called for a march to Tral, in south Kashmir's Pulwama district, on May 30 to pay tributes to Bhat and seven other militants killed in two separate encounters in the Valley today.

While Bhat, who succeeded Burhan Wani, was killed along with another militant in Soimoh village of Tral, the security forces foiled a major infiltration bid along the Line of Control in Rampur sector in north Kashmir's Uri, killing six militants today.

A civilian was killed allegedly in cross-firing between militants and security forces during the encounter in Tral area. At least 30 people have been injured in the clashes between protesters and security forces in different parts of the Valley.

"We condemn the use of brute force against the unarmed civilians, injuring hundreds of them and call for a strike on Sunday and Monday," a joint statement from separatists -- chairmen of both factions of Hurriyat Conference, Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, and JKLF chief Yasin Malik, said here.

The separatists asked people in the valley to turn up in large numbers in Tral on Tuesday to pay tributes to the slain militants. They said that calling for a strike has become necessary to protest the "state terrorism" unleashed by the forces on the civilian protesters.

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Over 58 lakh names dropped from draft voter list in Bengal ahead of polls

News Network

December 16,2025

The deletion of over 58 lakh names from West Bengal’s draft electoral rolls following a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) has sparked widespread concern and is likely to deepen political tensions in the poll-bound state.

According to the Election Commission, the revision exercise has identified 24 lakh voters as deceased, 19 lakh as relocated, 12 lakh as missing, and 1.3 lakh as duplicate entries. The draft list, published after the completion of the first phase of SIR, aims to remove errors and duplication from the electoral rolls.

However, the scale of deletions has raised fears that a large number of eligible voters may have been wrongly excluded. The Election Commission has said that individuals whose names are missing can file objections and seek corrections. The final voter list is scheduled to be published in February next year, after which the Assembly election announcement is expected. Notably, the last Special Intensive Revision in Bengal was conducted in 2002.

The development has intensified the political row over the SIR process. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her Trinamool Congress have strongly opposed the exercise, accusing the Centre and the Election Commission of attempting to disenfranchise lakhs of voters ahead of the elections.

Addressing a rally in Krishnanagar earlier this month, Banerjee urged people to protest if their names were removed from the voter list, alleging intimidation during elections and warning of serious consequences if voting rights were taken away.

The BJP, meanwhile, has defended the revision and accused the Trinamool Congress of politicising the issue to protect what it claims is an illegal voter base. Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari alleged that the ruling party fears losing power due to the removal of deceased, fake, and illegal voters.

The controversy comes amid earlier allegations by the Trinamool Congress that excessive work pressure during the SIR led to the deaths by suicide of some Booth Level Officers (BLOs), for which the party blamed the Election Commission. With the draft list now out, another round of political confrontation appears imminent.

As objections begin to be filed, the focus will be on whether the correction mechanism is accessible, transparent, and timely—critical factors in ensuring that no eligible voter is denied their democratic right ahead of a crucial election.

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