BBC News
By Aamir Peerzada
image captionBashir Ahmad Bhat will never forget the night his brother and family were killed
Every time Bashir Ahmad Bhat s gaze falls on the blood stains on the walls, he is reminded of the night his brother, a policeman in Indian administered Kashmir, was murdered.
It was June; Mr Bashir had been preparing to go to sleep when he heard the sound of gun shots coming from next door. Alarmed, he sprang out of bed to check.
A heart-wrenching scene awaited him - his brother lay dead at the entrance of his home. His wife and daughter lay next to him, bloodied and struggling in pain. They died later.
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When driving a tuk-tuk pays more than making art
When driving a tuk-tuk pays more than making art
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Papier mache, a painstaking and delicate craft, is believed to have arrived in Kashmir in the 14th Century with Persian artisans. It has since become a speciality of the region, earning its practitioners awards and accolades.
But in recent decades, the art has slowly lost its appeal amid growing unrest in the Indian-administered valley. Struggling artisans have turned to other jobs to make ends meet - such as driving tuk-tuks or working as salesmen.
And they say their children are no longer interested in continuing what has long been a family legacy. Older artisans say they have no choice but to watch as a craft they once loved slowly dies.
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image captionKashmiris are voting for the first time since the region lost its special status
Voting is underway in Indian-administered Kashmir in the region s first elections since Delhi revoked its special status last year. But the polls are unusual even by Kashmir s stormy standards. BBC s Aamir Peerzada reports from Srinagar. There is no democracy in Kashmir, declares 32-year-old Rabia Khursheed.
Ironically, Ms Khursheed is contesting the first ever direct elections for village councils in 20 districts of Jammu and Kashmir. The region s councils, earlier staffed by lawmakers, will be directly elected for the first time. And their members will be charged with local planning and governance, from roads to schools to hospitals.