Among the 12 media personnel awarded are the PTI Srinagar Bureau Chief, Inayat Jehangir and PTI video journalist, Jammu Somil Abrol. Other awardees in this category include Avtar Krishan Bhat, Vivek Suri, Sunil Ji Bhat, Dinesh Manhotra, Bilal Ahmad Bhat, Razia Noor, Ishfaq Gowhar Zargar, Syed Khalid Hussain, Sarosh Kafeel, and Neeta Sharma.
A brief exchange of fire took place between security forces and militants at Shiekhpura in Lalpora area of Kupwara district, 100 kilometre from Srinagar, a police official said.
Villagers alleged that the youth had been killed by the CRPF trooper without any provocation. CRPF officials said that the trooper had a heated verbal exchange with a group of youths on Wednesday. The CRPF trooper has been taken into custody.
A 23-year-old youth was killed allegedly in firing by the security forces during a protest demonstration in Pulwama district of South Kashmir, police said.
Two of the terrorists belonged to Hizb-ul-Mujahideen.