India kills two Kashmiri rebels to 'avert major terrorist action'

India's security personnel killed two militants belonging to a Kashmiri separatist group in India's Kashmir state on Saturday.

An Indian police spokesperson said a "major terrorist action was averted" when a security team intercepted the militants, belong to a group named Hizbul Mujaideen, near Amargarh village, 50 kilometres from Kashmir's capital city Srinagar.

Two policemen were injured as the cornered militants opened fire and lobbed a grenade at the police team, the spokesperson said.

Hizbul Mujahideen identified the slain militants as Azaharuddin who goes by nom de guerre “Gazi Umar” and Sajad Ahmad alias “Babar”. The outfit added that it was a "big loss" for them and that Azharuddin was a lecturer by profession who had abdicated government services to join the militant organisation.

Police recovered two AK assault rifles, one pistol, four hand grenades and other arms and ammunition from the scene of the encounter.

Last July, the Indian security forces had killed the group's commander Burhan Wani in an encounter, triggering waves of protests which degenerated into violence and clashes with Indian security forces.

Kashmir has been convulsed with extremism over the past few months. The northern state of India was also crippled by months-long curfew following the killing of Burhan Wani, who many Kashmiris viewed as the new face of the 'azaadi' (freedom) movement.

(WION with inputs from PTI)