The death of a 33-year-old civilian during a fierce encounter in the south Kashmir Pulwama district triggered tension in the area.
Troops of Rashtriya Rifles and police had Saturday evening surrounded a house in Kalampora village, 43 kms from here on a tip-off that two militants of Hizbul Mujaheedin outfit were hiding inside the house in the village.
"As the surrounding security forces challenged the holed up militants to surrender, they opened fire triggering an encounter," a senior police officer said.
A local identified as Mushtaq Ahmad, 33, was killed during the shoot-out for which the villagers blamed the security forces.
However, police strongly denied the allegation, saying the civilian was killed in cross-fire.
Agitated locals, however, took out a procession late in the evening and this morning shouting anti-government slogans.
As the tension gripped the area, the security forces removed the cordon around the village during which reportedly the hiding militants escaped.
