At least 14 people died in separatist violence and Indian Kashmir's main city shut down today on the eve of the final round state elections.
Soldiers patrolled towns and villages ahead tomorrow's voting in some of Jammu and Kashmir's most rugged mountains and forests, home to a major concentration of Islamic separatists.
The mainly Muslim state's main city, Srinagar, and other key towns ground to a halt in protest over US preacher Jerry Falwell's reported comment yesterday that the prophet Mohammad was "a terrorist".
Srinagar's shops, business and schools closed over Mr Falwell's reported remarks and the normally bustling city of 1.4 million was also expected to close tomorrow for an anti-poll strike called by separatists, although it has already voted.
As night fell, heavily armed troops patrolled towns and villages in the seven constituencies voting in the fourth and final round of a poll India has hailed as a victory of the ballot over the bullet. Pakistan has called it a farce.
India also views the poll as a test of Pakistan's vow to stop Islamic militants crossing the border to join a 13-year revolt against Indian rule in which more than 35,000 people have died.
Dozens of militants have been killed since the election began on September 16th, and hundreds of people have died since the poll was announced in August. The Indian government has blamed Pakistan for driving the violence and says the infiltrations have not stopped.