A 25-year-old civilian was allegedly shot dead by suspected militants outside his home in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Wednesday, ANI reported. The incident took place in Pingleena village.

A joint team of the Army and Special Operations Group launched a cordon and search operation in the area to look for the assailants.

An unidentified police officer told GNS news agency that the man was immediately evacuated to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead. The man was identified as Showkat Ahmed Naik.

Clarifying on reports that the man was earlier a soldier, the Indian Army said he had never taken oath as one and had been declared a deserter in September 2018. He was enrolled in the Territorial Army in January 2018 but left the unit during training.

More details are awaited.