SRINAGAR, Sept 29: Seven people died in the latest violence in insurgency-hit held Kashmir and 20 were injured in a grenade blast outside a shopping mall, the army said on Thursday.

Four militants were killed when police raided their hideout in the northern district of Kupwara near the Line of Control, army spokesman Vijay Batra said.

Two more died as soldiers searched a village for militants in the central district of Budgam. Troop reinforcements were sent to the village from where most residents had fled.

Meanwhile, at least 20 people, including four soldiers and two children, were injured in the rush-hour blast outside Srinagar’s popular Kashmir Haat mall, which was closed for 16 years until July as the rebellion raged.

Batra also said suspected militants beat a Muslim civilian to death in the southern district of Rajouri. —-AFP