Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Monday said she is “deeply distressed” by the killing of civilians in “crossfire” in Shopian district.

“Deeply distressed by more deaths of civilians caught in the crossfire in Shopian. My heartfelt condolences to the deceased’s families,” J-K CM Mehbooba said in a tweet.

Deeply distressed by more deaths of civilians caught in the crossfire in Shopian. My heartfelt condolences to the deceased’s families.

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— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) March 5, 2018

Six people, including two militants, were killed in a firing incident last night in south Kashmir’s Shopian district after the ultras fired upon a joint check-point of the security forces.

After the incident, schools and educational institutes, which were to open on Monday after two-month-long winter break, were closed as a precautionary measure in the Valley.

“Two more bodies were recovered in Shopian district this morning,” a police spokesperson said.

The body of one militant identified as Ashiq Hussain Bhat from the Lashkar-e-Tabia (LeT) terror outfit was recovered on Monday at Saidpora area. He was missing since November 13, 2017,” a police official said. Bhat was a resident of Rakh Karpan.

“Preliminary investigation have suggested that Bhat’s death was part of Sunday’s gunfight in Pahnoo village. Further investigation is on.”

On Sunday, one militant and three civilians — who the army claimed were overground workers (OGWs) of militants — were killed in the gunfight which took place after a mobile vehicle check post (MVCP) was fired at.

A police official said a joint MVCP (mobile vehicle check post) near Pohan in Shopian had signalled a car to stop, but it did not. The Army men were fired upon and they retaliated, in which a militant was killed.

Police rushed to the spot and identified one of the deceased as Amir Ahmed Malik, who had joined the LeT militant group in July last year.

The body of another civilian, Gowhar Ahmad Lone, 24, was also found on Monday morning, some 250 metres away the gunfight site.

Meanwhile, authorities have imposed restrictions in parts of Srinagar city to prevent protests called by the separatists against the gunfight.

Police personnel were deployed in large numbers to keep a strict watch in militant-infested Shopian area, besides other parts of the Kashmir Valley as separatist amalgam — Joint Resistance Front — has given a call for Monday bandh.

(With agency inputs)