Srinagar, April 11: At least one Army jawan and three civilians were killed in an encounter in South Kashmir's Kulgam district on Wednesday. The casualties were reported amid an ongoing gunbattle with the holed up militants.

Reports claim the civilian killings were caused after the local populace hindered in the operation of security forces. The joint team of the Army, CRPF and J&K Police was pelted with stones by the civilians, which forced them to retaliate.

At least 20 civilians were rushed to the hospitals in Kulgam and Sringar following the retaliatory action by the forces. Three among them, including two teenagers, succumbed to the injuries on being brought to the hospital. The deceased have been identified as Sharjeel Ahmad Sheikh (late 20s), Bilal Ahmed Tantray (16) and Faisal Ilahi (16).

The slain jawan has been identified by the Army as Sada Gunakara Rao, who was also reported dead after being brought to the medical facility in Kulgam.

In wake of the civilian deaths, curfew was clamped down in the neighbouring restive regions of South Kashmir, including the districts of Shopian and Anantnag. The joint separatist leadership is expected to mobilise protesters to agitate against the civilian killings.

The encounter in Kulgam today comes days after the Indian forces successfully neutralized a total of 13 Hizbul Mujahideen militants in a spree of encounters conducted on April 1.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 11, 2018 05:10 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).