Indian authorities said today that they had detained more than 600 residents of Kashmir in a crackdown on suspected separatists in the disputed Himalayan region.

Police and paramilitary officers made the arrests over the last five days to prevent any anti-India protests or violence during general election voting today, police director-general Ashok Prasad said.

Thousands protested during voting last Thursday, when suspected rebels gunned down a polling official and wounded three soldiers. 

Clashes between police and rock-throwing protesters left at least 12 officers injured.

Separatist politicians have urged Kashmiris to boycott the election, which they call a “military exercise” by New Delhi.

During this week’s raids, police detained nearly 300 students and activists from Srinagar and about the same number in the districts of Budgam and Ganderbal.

Police described them as “stone pelters and troublemongers,” vowing that “nobody will be allowed to disrupt the electoral process.”