OCCUPIED SRINAGAR: Hundreds of angry residents clashed with government forces Thursday in the main city of Indian-occupied Kashmir after a firefight left three suspected freedom fighters and a young woman martyred, police and witnesses said.
Counterinsurgency police and federal paramilitary forces surrounded the Batamaloo neighbourhood of occupied Srinagar after midnight following a tip-off that armed fighters were hiding inside a residential house, triggering an exchange of fire.
Three suspected freedom fighters, believed to be locals, were martyred in the firefight that lasted several hours, police announced on Twitter.
"One young woman also died during the encounter," a police officer told AFP.
"The woman was caught in the crossfire. Her death is unfortunate," director general of police Dilbagh Singh told reporters.
A paramilitary trooper was also injured during the firefight, Singh said.
As news of the martyrdom spread hundreds of residents took to the streets, throwing stones at government forces who fired tear gas and metal pellets. The crowd shouted slogans, such as "Long live Pakistan" and "We want freedom", according to an AFP photographer at the scene.
No injuries were immediately reported from the clashes.
Armed encounters between fighters and government forces are frequent in the territory, but rare in the capital city.
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