Kashmir rebels kill woman poll candidate in India

Suspected Muslim rebels shot dead a woman candidate contesting village-level polls in restive Indian Kashmir, police said yesterday.
Haseena Akhter, in her forties, was fighting elections in her village of Pakherpora, 35 kilometres from Kashmir's summer capital, Srinagar.
The Panchayat or local body elections, which began on April 13, are being held in two phases in the revolt-hit Muslim-majority state after a gap of 10 years.
"Akhter was dragged out by unidentified gunmen who raided her residence on Friday night and killed her in the compound at point-blank range," a senior police officer told AFP, requesting anonymity.
Separatist political leaders and militant groups have called for a boycott of the local polls, terming the exercise an attempt by India to "strengthen its occupation of Kashmir".
A separatist insurgency has raged against New Delhi's rule in Indian Kashmir for over 20 years. Militant attacks normally increase after the winter ends in the Himalayan region.