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[DAWN] Two suspected rebels were killed and a civilian was critically maimed in a shootout with government forces in India-held Kashmire on Monday, police said, as tensions in the disputed territory ran high.A police officer was also critically maimed in a separate incident in the disputed Himalayan region, which has seen a spike in violence in recent months.
The two gunnies died in a firefight with soldiers and special police counterinsurgency forces who had cordoned off a neighbourhood in the south of the region early Monday.
Hundreds of villagers poured out onto the streets to try to help the trapped rebels escape, many throwing stones and shouting slogans against Indian rule.
One was injured when government forces fired into the crowd.
"Two gunnies were killed in the encounter. According to our input one more is still fighting," director general of police S. P. Vaid told AFP.