A police officer and four militants were killed as several encounters took place in Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday. One police officer was killed and another one was injured during an encounter in the Poonch district of the state. One militant was killed in the gunfight. Security forces found four weapons at the site.

Deputy chief minister Nirmal Singh said, "These are highly condemnable actions of Pakistan, it's being done by them. They are creating trouble in Kashmir," he said. Referring to problems in Balochistan and Gilgit, Singh said Pakistan is a failed state.

Sunday's fire exchange started when the police raided a government building under construction after getting a tip off that heavily armed men were hiding there. Army troops were later called in to help neutralise the situation. On September 7, at least three jawans were injured when militants attacked an army convoy in Kupwara district.

Officials said the army also killed three militants in an encounter in the Nowgam Sector of north Kashmir and confiscated arms found at the site, NDTV reported. Army officials said infiltration attempts into Indian territory were thwarted in the Tangdhar and Gurez sectors and that operations are underway, the news channel reported.

Meanwhile, joint security forces conducted raids in Karimbaf village in Pulwama and arrested several people. State police have confirmed reports that 25 locals were injured during clashes and are now undergoing medical treatment in hospitals.

Thousands of soldiers have been deployed into the troubled state over the weekend to "strengthen anti-terror operations", officials told the news channel. The authorities are mulling over sending soldiers into areas vacated by the army, over the past two years, as the areas have witnessed protests following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen leader Burhan Wani and increased militant movement.