Srinagar: Violent clashes between local youth and government forces erupted in Turkuwangum village of South Kashmir’s Shopian district on Thursday morning amid a massive search operation. 

Jamia Masjid Shopian during a shutdown. File Photo

Reports said that a joint team of government forces acting upn inputs about presence of militants in the village, launched a massive search operation to trace the hiding militants.

As the forces laid a siege, the local youth pelted them with stones and brics prompting the forces to fire tear smoke shells to disperse the protesting youth.

Witnesses said that a massive deployment of goverment forces including Army, CRPF and J&K Police are jointly conducting te  search operation.

They said that the authorities have also suspended the mobile Internet services in the district. 

More to follow.