Srinagar: As the authorities braced themselves for the third phase of Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, Pakistan-based militants seemed to have become restive and have sent instructions to their cadres to disrupt the polling.

Defence sources in Srinagar said conversations between Pak-based militant leaders and their cadres in the state have been intercepted since September 29 evening, adding these revealed that directions have been issued to undermine the elections.

"There are a lot of messages from the bosses. Something or the other should be done. Doing later will have no impact," a message from an unidentified clandestine radio station said.

"Make efforts to sabotage polling. Turnout should be only two per cent," a message from a Hizbul Mujahideen leader to the group's cadres said, according to the sources.

They said yet another instruction said, "Make efforts to disturb the polling. The turnout should be zero per cent."

The sources said a conversation between Lashkar-e-Toiba cadres intercepted was as follows, "You had told me to receive Rs 10,000. I will send it to your side after I receive from him. I will send pad (probably pamphlets) towards your side. You put that pad in all the places. You tell the people that if they cast votes, then we will kill them and take out their intestines."

A Hizbul Mujahideen cadre was heard telling his bosses that they require new remote control devices, the source said.

"Please send new devices immediately," the activist was heard as saying, according to the sources.

PTI