One paramilitary Border Security Force trooper was killed and another seriously injured in a militant shootout at Regal Chowk near the high security City Centre in Srinagar [Images] on Thursday.

The incident occurred at around 3 pm when pistol-borne militants fired at two BSF personnel from point blank range, official sources said.

Both the jawans were rushed to the hospital where Head Constable Mohammad Ashraf Khan was declared brought dead, while the condition of constable Rajpaul Singh was stated to be critical, they said adding, the jawans had just alighted from their vehicle for shopping when the ultras struck.

The shooting sparked off panic as people ran for shelter after the incident, the sources said.

Police and security forces immediately cordoned the area and at least 20 persons including several shopkeepers and their salesmen were detained for questioning in connection with the incident.

In another incident, militants shot dead a former special police officer Puneet Paul Singh outside a hospital in Baramulla district town of north Kashmir on Thursday afternoon.

Singh, who disassociated from the police a few months back was moving near the hospital when militants shot at him with a pistol killing him on the spot, the sources said.

With PTI Inputs