SRINAGAR: Nine people, among them two Indian troops, were killed in a gunbattle and clashes between protesters and government forces in India-held Kashmir on Sunday, officials said.

Some suspected militants were hiding in a south Kashmir village when the military and police surrounded it and the firefight broke out.

Indian Army Spokesman in Srinagar Col Manish claimed that four militants were killed and four weapons were recovered from the site of the encounter.

He added that two soldiers were killed and three others injured during the encounter.

Two civilians, including the son of the owner of the house in which the militants were hiding, also died, police said.

Clashes occurred between Indian forces and protesters in the aftermath of the battle in the village of Prisal and 29 people were injured, including 12 with bullet injuries, authorities said.

Three suspected militants escaped, and a heavy police contingent was deployed in the area to maintain law and order, police said.

The gunbattle began after police and soldiers cordoned off the village overnight following a tip that militants were hiding in a house, said Inspector General Syed Javaid Mujtaba Gillani.

He claimed that the militants sprayed automatic gunfire to break the cordon, leading to an exchange of gunfire with the police and soldiers.

According to villagers, government forces blasted the house with explosives.

As the fighting raged, clashes erupted in several places between Indian forces and neighbouring villagers who tried to march to Prisal in solidarity with the militants. Troops fired bullets, shotgun pellets and teargas canisters to stop the rock-throwing protesters.

One protester was killed in the clashes, police and hospital officials said.

India blames Pakistan for stoking violence in Valley by supplying fighters and material across the Line of Control, but Pakistan denies these charges.

The violence peaked last year after Burhan Wani, a 22-year-old leader who enjoyed widespread support in the region, was shot dead by Indian forces in July.

Last month, three road-building workers were killed after suspected militants attacked a camp housing them, police said.

Published in Dawn, February 13th, 2017