A 22-year-old youth was killed during intense clashes between government forces and protesters in Arwani village of Bijbehara tehsil of Anantnag district in south Kashmir on Friday.
Sources said that Muhammad Ashraf, a resident of Kharpora, sustained a bullet injury in his abdomen during the clashes near the site of a gunbattle between forces and militants in Arwani.
He was shifted to District Hospital Anantnag where doctors declared him dead on arrival, they said.
Six more injured were received at the hospital with one knee joint bullet injury, one with eye pellet injury, and another with multiple pellet injuries in head and shoulder, said a health official.
He said one of them with pellet injuries in eye was referred to Srinagar for specialised treatment.
Dozens of protesters were injured during clashes near the site of an encounter between militants and government forces in Arwani area of Anantnag district in south Kashmir on Friday, even as massive clashes were going on Frisal village of the district and adjoining Bijbehara and Anantnag areas.
Reports said that the exchange of fire has stopped, but people from various villages, they said, continued to march towards the site of the encounter.
Three top Lashkar-e-Toiba militants, including Junaid Mattoo, are believed to be trapped inside the cordon laid by army and SOG of Jammu and Kashmir police.
However, there was no immediate report of any casualties from either side.
Reports said that dozens of protesters were injured after forces fired pellets and tear smoke shells.
Meanwhile, youth took to streets and clashes with forces at Khrew chowk after reports that Adil of LeT, who hails from Frestbal area of nearby Pampore, is also trapped inside the cordon in Arwani.
All shops and other business establishments were closed in Pampore town.
