Srinagar: Hizbul Mujahideen on October 5 threatened to "teach a lesson" to all those who participated in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections and called for a general strike on October 8 when six constituencies of Doda district go to polls in the fourth and final phase of polling in the state.

"We will not pardon all those who participated in the elections. We will teach them a lesson. There should be no doubt about it," Saiful Islam, Hizb's chief commander for Jammu and Kashmir, said in a statement issued hours after the Border Security Force (BSF) claimed to have foiled a plan of the group to target contestants of the polls by arresting its seven members.

"Those participating in the elections are traitors and action against them will be taken after the elections are over," the statement issued to a local news agency NAFA said.

Islam called for a strike on October 8 when polling will be held in six constituencies of Doda district and boycott of the balloting.

He also criticised a reported blasphemous remark by an American right wing politician and called for a strike in the valley on October 7.

The statement came hours after BSF announced arrest of seven Hizbul militants and claimed to have foiled a plan of the outfit to target those who participated in the elections.

PTI