Updated

Anti-India protests and clashes have erupted in disputed Kashmir after government forces killed two senior militants in a gunbattle and fatally shot a protester during an ensuing protest demanding an end to Indian rule.

Police said the two militants were killed Tuesday after police and soldiers on a tip cordoned off southern Hakripora village.

Residents defied the security lockdown and clashed with government forces in an attempt to help the trapped militants escape.

A young man was killed and dozens of others were injured in the clashes.

Protests and clashes against Indian rule spread to several other places across Kashmir as students boycotted classes and hit the streets.

Rebel groups have been fighting against Indian rule since 1989. Nearly 70,000 people have been killed in the conflict.