SRINAGAR – More than 50 people were injured when hundreds of protesterspelted stones at the security forces, police said.

Troops used tear gas and pellet guns to disperse the crowd, and lateropened fire. Most of the injured sustained pellet wounds but six hadgunshot wounds, said SP Vaid, the director general of the state police.

Local residents put the number of injured at over 50. Muslim separatistshave been waging a violent campaign against Indian rule since the late1980s in Indian-held Kashmir.

Vaid said the army received information on Saturday night about militantshiding in an area near Dragad village in Shopian district, about 50 km (30miles) south of Kashmir’s capital of Srinagar.

“In Dragad, 7 bodies of militants were recovered including top commanders.They were killed in a gun battle,” Vaid said, adding that the owner of thehouse in which the militants were trapped was also killed.

Another militant was killed in Dialgam village in Anantnag district, about60 km (37 miles) south of Srinagar, while one was caught alive, he said.

Two Indian soldiers and one civilian were killed in another gun battle inKachdoora village, which is also in Shopian district, where a battle with aseparate group of 4-5 militants was ongoing, Vaid said.

Train services to south Kashmir have been suspended as a precautionarymeasure, a railways official said, and internet services in five districtshave also been blocked.

In south Kashmir’s Pulwama district the local administration has imposedrestrictions on the movement of people and vehicles to prevent any violence.