The killing of a youth in firing by the army on Saturday triggered protests in Chogul village of north Kashmir's Kupwara district.
While the army said the youth, Manzoor Ahmad Magray, was killed in an ambush, the family alleged that the youth had been taken away from his home and later killed.
Hundreds of villagers carried the body of Manzoor and blocked the highway near Kulangam village, demanding action against those responsible for the killing.
The Kupwara deputy commissioner has ordered a magisterial probe and also directed the police to lodge an FIR against the deployed troops.
The deputy commissioner visited the area following which the villagers agreed to bury the body of Manzoor in their native village Gund Chogul.
Meanwhile, a defence spokesman said, "Based on specific intelligence on the movement of terrorists, army troops laid an ambush on night of February 4-5 in Maidan Chogul, Pohrupet, Handwara to trap the terrorists."
"At approximately 10.30 pm, the troops detected suspicious movement of two persons moving towards the ambush. In accordance with the Standing Operative Procedures, the troops challenged the individuals to surrender. Both the individuals paid no heed to the challenge by the troops and attempted to run away in the cover of darkness, on which the troops opened firing, resulting in fatal injuries to Manzoor Ahmad Magray, son of Ghulam Ahmad of Pohrupet while the other unidentified person escaped," said the spokesperson.
"The army, although strictly adhering to the challenging procedures, as per the Rules of engagement, regrets the loss, more so as the year has been declared by the army as the year of the Kashmiri Awam."
"We deeply and sincerely express our heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family on this incident," said Lieutenant Colonel J S Brar, the Srinagar-based army spokesman.
