Protests and clashes broke out in some parts of south Kashmir on Monday morning against the killing of a militant and four civilians by the Army the previous evening at Pahnoo, Shopian.
Ajaz Ahmed, a reporter in Shopian, told THE WEEK that scores of people, including women, took to the streets in Shopian from various villages to protest the killing of the four civilians by the Army.
''Situation is very tense here,'' Ahmed said.'' Hundreds of people have assembled in the villages of the four youth killed by the Army.''
The police and CRPF have been deployed in strength to tackle the situation, Ahmed added.
Clashes were also reported from Anantnag at K.P. Road between students and police.
The students pelted stones on police and shouted pro-freedom slogans.
Reports said police arrested dozens of students to prevent the situation from turning violent.
The government has ordered the suspension of the internet in Kashmir to prevent the situation from flaring up.
In Srinagar, restrictions were imposed on several areas considered sensitive by police. Traffic between Srinagar and north Kashmir's Baramulla and Kupwara was moving normally.
An Army spokesman, N.N. Joshi, on Sunday evening said the Army killed a militant, Shahid Ahmed Dar, and three 'overground workers' of militants in retaliatory fire after a mobile vehicle check post came under attack.
''Three overground workers of the militant who were travelling with him were found dead. Police have reached the spot,'' Joshi said.
Local residents, however, said the three men killed at the spot were civilians and not overground workers.
They were identified as Suhail Khaleel Wagay of Pinjoora, Mohammad Shahid Khan of Malikgund and Shahnawaz Ahmad Wagay of Trenz of Shopian.
On Monday morning, the body of another civilian, Gowhar Ahmed Lone, resident of Moolu, Trenz, was found in an orchard, 250 meters from the spot from where the bodies of the militant and the three civilians were found the previous evening.
Lone, sources said, was found dead behind the wheel of his car.
The killing sparked protests in Shopian and other parts of south Kashmir.
On Sunday evening, Kashmir University students also took out a protest in the campus against the killing of the civilians by the Army.
The separatist Joint Resistance Leadership had called for a shutdown on Monday in protest at the killing of the four civilians by the Army.
Fearing protests by students, the government has ordered the closure of educational institutions across Kashmir that were supposed to open on Monday after winter vacations.
Examinations for various classes by J&K School Board and Kashmir University have also been postponed.
Meanwhile, the body of another militant, Ashiq Hussian Bhat, was found in an orchard at Saipora village. Bhat was resident of Rakpora. He had joined militancy last year.
The police have not backed the Army's claim that the four men it killed along with the militant were overground workers.
DGP S.P. Vaid in Jammu told reporters the Army said the three men were overground workers.
Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti in a tweet said,'' Deeply distressed by more deaths of civilians caught in crossfire in Shopian. My heartfelt condolences to the deceased's families.''