Curfew remained in force in Srinagar district, Anantnag town and Magam area of Budgam district as a precautionary measure even as normal life was paralysed for the 40th consecutive day on Wednesday in Kashmir where 63 persons have been killed in the ongoing unrest.
While the Congress will contest the Jammu and Udhampur Lok Sabha seats, National Conference will fight from Srinagar.
The incident took place in Gooriwan where the police team was on routine law and order duty for the procession marking the birthday of Prophet Mohammad, police said.
The probe into last year's Pulwama terror strike that left 40 Central Reserve Police Force personnel dead has virtually reached a dead end, with five persons, who were either conspirators or executers of the ghastly attack, being eliminated by security forces in various encounters. However, the case threw unique challenges for the National Investigation Agency, the anti-terror probe agency formed in the aftermath of the Mumbai terror strikes in 2008, as it there is no solid information about the perpetrators or the mastermind behind the attack.
Four terrorists were killed on Friday in an encounter with security forces, while another surrendered in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said.
Protests, an uneasy calm and a sense of deep grief enveloped south Kashmir's Anantnag on Monday, a day after Zahid Rasool Bhat, a 19-year-old trucker, succumbed to his injuries after the truck, which he was travelling in was attacked over beef rumours.
'It was a helpless situation for me and my family. We were staying on the first floor as the ground floor was filled with flood water,' says Parveez Rasool, the only cricketer from Jammu and Kashmir to have played for India.
Out of the 280 constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir, 43 are going to polls in the second phase with 25 in Kashmir and 18 in Jammu division.
Political leaders and other prominent personalities condemned the attack on Amarnath Yatris in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district on Monday after terrorists open fired at the bus carrying the pilgrims killing seven and injuring 32 others.
The first phase of the polls in the Kashmir Valley saw 8.3 per cent turnout on October 8 while only 3.4 per cent of the electorate exercised their franchise in the second phase held two days later.
Officials said that 22-year-old Shakir Bashir Magrey, a furniture shop owner and resident of Hajibal, Kakapora in Pulwama, had provided shelter and other logistical assistance to suicide-bomber Adil Ahmad Dar.
Two militants were killed on Tuesday in an encounter with security forces on Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, about 12 kms from Srinagar, in Pampore, police said.
The security forces had then described the arrest of Gazi as a major success in their anti-insurgency operations in the state. He was presented in the district court at Anantnag on Thursday where his detention under the Public Safety Act was set aside by the court. The judge released Gazi and he was handed over to his lawyer.
Two top Army commanders on Saturday said the fresh ceasefire between India and Pakistan will have no bearing on the counter-terrorism operations in Jammu and Kashmir and that the force will exercise 'maximum restraint' in the event of any violation by the neighbouring country.
The sources said two other people, suspected to be overground workers for militants, have also been detained for questioning.
A massive operation has been launched to track down the attackers, who fled the spot.
Mobile services were partially restored in the Valley which has been rocked by violence since July 8.
There were eight such cases in 2015, 31 cases in 2016 and five cases in 2017.
India hockey players Yuvraj and Devender Walmiki attend Rashtriya Rifles for their silver jubilee year celebrations in Anantnag earlier this week.
The enhanced allowance will be applicable to all paramilitary personnel deployed in Jammu and Kashmir and Naxal-hit areas.
The case posed unique challenges, such as a lot of evidence having blown to pieces in the suicide attack and seven accused being subsequently killed in encounters. However, the central agency used forensic tests including DNA profiling of the meagre evidence to breach the dead ends.
The authorities also sealed the Lal Chowk city centre - the commercial hub of the city - by placing barricades and concertina wires on all entry and exit points leading to the area.
Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, who died at a hospital in Delhi on Thursday, was laid to rest with full state honours in his ancestral graveyard of Bijbehara town in Anantnag district.
Restrictions under Section 144 CrPc have been imposed in few areas of the valley to maintain law and order, the officials said.
Independent candidates have emerged as big winners in Jammu and Kashmir's maiden District Development Council polls, with 49 of them having been declared elected so far from 280 seats, putting them ahead of parties like the Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party.
Last week's heavy snowfall seems to have affected electioneering in Kashmir. South Kashmir's Anantnag and the prestigious Srinagar constituencies go to polls on April 24 and April 30 in the five phased Lok Sabha polls in the state.
Tassaduq Hussain has always been reluctant to jump into full-time politics.
The Election Commission on Saturday announced five-phase election dates for Jharkhand and Jammu and Kashmir
Restrictions were imposed in north Kashmir and some areas of central Kashmir to thwart the march announced by separatists to Jamia Masjid.
Waiz-ul-Islam, 19, of Srinagar's Bagh-e-Mehtab locality and Mohammad Abbass Rather, 32, of Hakripora village in Pulwama district were arrested by the NIA, the official said.
One SSB jawan was killed and another injured in the attack.
An official said restrictions on assembly of four or more people also continued to remain force in rest of the Valley as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order.
In his monthly 'Mann ki baat' broadcast, he said the "Back to village" programme held in June in Jammu and Kashmir saw enthusiastic participation of villagers everywhere.
Of these, 6,221 were injured due to pellets, 368 due to bullets, four due to pava shells and 2,449 suffered other injuries, the J-K CM said.
Athar Aamir Ul Shafi Khan is thrilled that he stood second in his second attempt at cracking the prestigious UPSC civil services examination.
At least 20 passengers were injured when a train on its way from Qazigund to Srinagar derailed at Sadhora village in south Kashmir's Anantnag district on Wednesday afternoon.
The police have arrested seven persons for their alleged involvement in circulation of threatening posters on behalf of militant outfit Hizbul Mujahideen in Anantnag district of south Kashmir.
Leaders across the political spectrum, actors and many others have condemned the Amarnath Yatra terror attack, in which terrorists killed seven and injured 19 others.
Over 5,000 people staged demonstration at Shangus area in Anantnag on Thursday morning after a girl found torn pieces of the holy book.
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