Clashes erupted between government forces and residents during a cordon and search operation at a village in Shopian district on Friday afternoon.
A police official said that army personnel of 23 Para, 34 RR, CRPF and police ring-fenced the Nadigam village and launched a door-to-door search operation following inputs about the presence of militants in the area.
While the operation was underway, scores of residents came out of their homes and pelted the forces with stones in a bid to disrupt the operation, the official said. He said the forces responded by firing tear gas canisters.
A local resident said that a shack stored with bundles of grass caught fire after a teargas shell landed in it. The flames, however, were immediately put out by the villagers, he said.
The operation was called off nearly after three hours search as no militant was found in the area.
Meanwhile, a police official from neighbouring Pulwama district said that four youth have been picked up by forces during a string of overnight raids at Wahibugh, Chewakalan and Karimabad villages on Thursday.