SRINAGAR, Feb 26: One person was killed and four wounded on Thursday when police in occupied Kashmir opened fire on hundreds of demonstrators protesting against rights violations by security forces, police said.

"Police opened fire to disperse an angry crowd over 1,000 strong. One person was killed and four others were injured," said a senior police officer. Witnesses said the crowd was protesting near the northern town of Bandipore against human rights violations being committed by security forces in the area.

Thursday's incident is one of a series in which civilians have been killed. Kashmiris blame occupied forces for the deaths, but authorities deny the charges and say they investigate all such reports and punish those found guilty.

Thousands of people took to the streets of Bandipore, shouting slogans against the security forces and throwing stones at a police station in the town. Elsewhere, suspected militants killed three civilians and a soldier in separate shootouts and another by hanging in the strife-torn state, police said.

Separately, soldiers shot dead two militants in a fierce gunbattle in the district of Doda in south Kashmir. -Reuters