NEW DELHI: The multiple attacks in J&K, concentrated in areas going to polls in the next phase on December 9, are seen as an attempt by militant outfits to instill a sense of fear among the voters.

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Meanwhile, EC officials conceded that they were fearing attacks in the valley in the run-up to polls. "Today's strikes have only made our fears come true," said an official.

Attacks in J&K are condemnable. They are desperate attempts to derail the atmosphere of hope & goodwill as seen by increased voter turnout. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 5, 2014

125 crore Indians bow to our brave Army men who sacrificed their lives. These men lived & died for the nation. We won't forget them. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 5, 2014

My heartfelt condolences to the families of those killed in the 4 attacks today. I hope @HMOIndia takes steps to plug the gaps in C I grid. — Omar Abdullah (@abdullah_omar) December 5, 2014

"Desperate after the record 72% turnout in the first two phases of polling in the state, groups like the Lashkar-e-Taiba , Jaish-e-Mohammad and Hizbul Mujahideen are under pressure to discourage voters from defying boycott calls by coming out to vote in large numbers," said a senior intelligence official, apprehending more attacks in the next few days with a view to sapping voter enthusiasm and pushing down future poll percentages.The attacks in Uri, Shopian as well as Srinagar came despite prior intelligence about the build-up of potential infiltrators across the border in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. "The infiltration attempts had picked up pace in the last one month or so, possibly with a view to disrupting the November-December polls. The storming of the Mahura camp in Uri was possibly by terrorists waiting at launch pads just across the border in PoK," said a senior officer of the security establishment.A senior EC official said the targetting of the highly-fortified Army camp at Uri was unexpected. However, its proximity to the India-Pakistan border as well as Uri's undulating terrain may have helped the terrorists sneak in.That the terrorists who stormed the Uri camp may have infiltrated from Pakistan earned the strong disapproval of home minister Rajnath Singh. "I think Pakistan should try to stop these incidents, if they can't they should speak to India about it," he said on Friday, asking how people who indulged in such activities always hid in Pakistan."Should Pakistan not explain this?" he asked.Incidentally, the full commission was slated to visit Srinagar on Saturday to review the polling arrangements with the state CEO and returning officers, but called off its tour in the wake of the attacks. "The forces will be busy reviewing the security of their establishments. They may need to be redeployed in line with heightened threat perception, especially with Prime Minister Narendra Modi scheduled to address a rally at the Sher-e-Kashmir stadium in Srinagar on Monday. So, the EC decided to not press with its visit and will be reviewing the arrangements via video-conferencing," a commission functionary told TOI.The commission fears that the latest attacks may adversely affect voter turnouts in the coming phases. This, while putting national parties like the BJP at a disadvantage, may help regional players like NC and PDP counter the BJP's new-found appeal among J&K voters.