Teenager killed, 4 wounded in Indian-controlled Kashmir firing

A teenager was killed and four others wounded after Indian troops fired upon protesters in Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said.

The protests broke out at Krank Shivan in Sopore town, about 54 km northwest of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian- controlled Kashmir, following the killing of a top militant commander of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) in a gunfight with Indian troops.

"The residents today clashed with troops and police at Sopore and in quelling the protest, they were fired upon during which a person was killed and four others were wounded," a police official said, insisting on the anonymity.

The slain teenager was identified as Arshad Ahmad Shah.

Locals said the four wounded were sent to Srinagar hospitals for treatment.

"Soon after the culmination of gunfight between militants and Indian troops, people assembled near the gunfight site shouting anti-India slogans and troopers fired bullets to chase people," Suhail Ahmad, relative of a injured, told Xinhua.

A top militant commander of LeT was killed early Monday in an 18-hour-long gunfight with Indian troops.

Reports said another militant fighting alongside him managed to break off the cordon and escaped.

The militant killing triggered protests in the area.

A police spokesman said the contingents of police and army fired warning shots after a mob attacked them with stones and attempted to set ablaze their vehicle.

"A few of shots were fired in which four people got wounded and one of them succumbed to his injuries unfortunately," the police spokesman said.

The killing of teenager intensified the protests, following which authorities deployed forces to enforce restrictions.

Anti-India sentiment runs deep for majority of Kashmiris.

Kashmir, the Himalayan region divided between India and Pakistan, is claimed by both in full.

Since their independence from Britain, the two countries have fought three wars, two exclusively over Kashmir.

Militants are engaged in a guerrilla war with Indian troops stationed in Indian-controlled Kashmir since 1989.

The gunfight between the two sides takes place intermittently across the region.