SRINAGAR, Nov 29: Indian troops shot dead seven militants in occupied Kashmir ahead of another round of voting in elections, police said on Saturday.

Kashmiri leaders have appealed to people to boycott the polls, arguing that elections strengthen India’s occupation over the disputed region.

“The militants were killed in two separate gunbattles in (southern) Pulwama and (northern) Bandipora districts,” a police statement said.

The statement claimed that two of the militants were Pakistani nationals and both were members of Lashkar-i-Taiba.

The fighting came ahead of Sunday’s third round of voting in the Kupwara district, considered ‘sensitive’ by election officials because it borders Azad Kashmir.—AFP