Three youth indulging in stone pelting were on Tuesday killed in the action of security forces during an encounter at Chadoora in the Budgam district in Kashmir. A terrorist was also killed in the encounter. Seventeen others injured were rushed to Srinagar for treatment.

A spokesman of the Northern Command of the army said that one terrorist has been killed in the encounter and an AK rifle and ammunition recovered. An army personnel also sustained injuries.

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The three civilians reportedly were among dozens of youth who started pelting stones at the security forces in a bid to divert their attention so as to facilitate escape of the holed up terrorist.

The encounter broke out in the morning when the a joint team of security forces, including the army, CRPF and special operation group (SOG) of the state police, on the basis of specific information about the terrorists cordoned the area and launched a search.

The killed youth have been identified as Zahid Rashid (22), Saqib Ahmad and Ishaq Ahmad Wani. Zahid received bullet injury on his neck and succumbed to the injuries while on way to the hospital.

The police tried to chase away the stone pelters by bursting teargas shells but when this failed to get the desired results there was no option but to open fire, said a police officer.

The doctor at the sub-district health centre in Chadoora said on the social media that two youth were brought dead and 17 others were injured.

The army had last month warned the civilians not to indulge in stone pelting on security forces at the encounter places as such mischief provides opportunity to terrorists to escape. The state government had also announced that curfew restrictions will automatically come into force around the encounter site where people were prohibited to assemble.

Following reports that militants were planning to attack tourists and the Amarnath pilgrims in the coming season, the security forces have stepped up operations against terrorists in the valley and on Sunday killed two ultras of Hizbul Mujahideen who ambushed a police party in Pulwama district.

Expressing grief over the incident, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said “It is highly painful to see the young boys losing their lives,” she said.

“We know there are issues that need to be addressed and resolved but no one will be able to do anything at a point when violence becomes a norm. There is a need for restrain from all sides so that a conducive atmosphere is created and dissent is expressed in peaceful way," she added that solution to problems can be found only through political means and not through violence.

Meanwhile, the separatist leaders have called complete shutdown tomorrow against the killing of the civilians. Asking people to observe complete shutdown tomorrow and protests after Friday prayers on March 31, Syed Alishah Geelani, Mirwaiz Omer Farooq and Yasin Malik expressed grief over killing of two youth near the encounter site.

On the other hand, the firstever incident of snatching a service weapon from a policeman by suspected ultras in Jammu was being viewed seriously by top police officers. The incident that was reported three days ago has come shortly before the holy Navratras when hundreds of people from within the state and elsewhere in the country visit the Vaishnodevi shrine. Security has been tightened at the shrine and other places.