SRINAGAR: A 24-year-old youth was today killed by a “stray bullet” near the site of an encounter between militants and security forces which has been going on since early morning in Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
Security forces have been engaged in the gunbattle to flush out the militants, believed to be two, who are hiding in a house in Bijbehara area, a police official said.
One of them is suspected to have been killed in the encounter but it can be confirmed only when the bodies are retrieved, he said.
The civilian casualty took place when security personnel were dealing with a mob of stone-pelters who were targeting the forces near the encounter site to distract them from the operation to flush out the hiding militants.
Arif Shah, a resident of Sangam area of Anantnag district, was hit by a stray bullet, the official said but did not give any further details. (AGENCIES)
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