Shopian: At least six civilians have suffered in clashes with government forces during a cordon and search operation in Shirmal village of southern Kashmir’s Shopian on Saturday.

Sources said that the government forces cordoned off the village in the wee hours of Saturday and started door-to-door searches.

They said that the searches were underway in the village located a few hundred meters from a major army base of 12 sector RR and Brigadiers Headquarter at Balpora.

As soon as the people of the adjacent villages learned about the cordon, they rushed to the Shirmal village and started pelting stones on government forces, local sources said. The forces retaliated triggering clashes.

Reports said that at least six people were hit with pellets during the clashes receiving minor injuries.

The clashes were going on when this report was being filed.