Kashmir: 4 civilians injured in explosion at encounter site

Four civilians were on injured when an explosion occurred at a site where an encounter between security personnel and militants had ended on Wednesday night in Shopian district of south Kashmir.

"Four civilians have sustained injuries due to an explosion at the encounter site," Superintendent of Police, Shopian, Altaf Khan told PTI.

Khan said the operation, in which two militants were killed and four army personnel, including a major, injured, concluded late last night.

"We concluded the operation last night but had made announcement in a local mosque asking people not to go near the encounter site till the bomb disposal squad gave a green signal. However, this morning, few people went near the site and four of them were injured due to the explosion," he said.

The encounter began on Tuesday after security forces received specific intelligence input about the presence of militants in Hef Shermal area of Shopian, 52 km from Srinagar.

As the joint team of police and army began a search operation in the area, the hiding militants opened fire on them triggering an encounter.

The gunfight was halted for the night on Tuesday and resumed on Wednesday morning and during the gunfire, the militants were gunned down.