Kashmir has been in the throes of a bloody secessionist campaign for nearly two decades in which, according to official figures, 43,000 people have been killed. Various rights groups and non-governmental organizations here, however, dispute the official statistics - claiming that the number killed during the last two decades is twice the official figure.

The demonstrators, mostly young men, assembled in the old parts of Srinagar city right after the afternoon prayer and started raising slogans in favour of freedom and against the elections. The police action to intercept them triggered stone pelting which continued until late in the evening.

Separatists oppose that the holding of elections in Kashmir. Their argument is that it will not resolve the future of the disputed territory, held in part by India and Pakistan but claimed in full by both.