Security forces killed one suspected militant and three youths in South Kashmir’s Shopian district on Sunday. The four had opened fire on a joint motor vehicle check post when it had tried to flag them down. They were killed in the Army’s retaliatory firing, The Indian Express reported.

The gunfight took place around 8 pm in Shopian’s Pohan area. An Army spokesperson claimed the three youths were overground militant workers, but local residents claimed they were civilians only travelling in the car according to Greater Kashmir.

The attack on the patrol party follows an attack on Tral police station where a suspected Hizbul Mujahiden militant when a grenade was throw at Tral police station in South Kashmir. The incident occurred on February 26. Two policemen were killed in two separate attacks in Budgam district last month.

Authorities identified the suspected militant as Shahid Ahmad Dar and the three youths as Suhail Khaleel Wagay, Mohammad Shahid Khan, Shahnawaz Ahmad Wagay, Greater Kashmir reported. They were all from Shopian.

Security forces recovered a weapon from the suspected militant and then carried out cordon and search operations in the district.