Guwahati, May 26 (IANS): A man, who fired at a police constable suspecting him to be an anti-social element, was killed in retaliatory firing during a counter-insurgency operation in Assam's Karbi Anglong district on Tuesday, officials said.

While police suspect the deceased man was a militant, his family members claimed he was a farmer.

The man fired at the security forces, suspecting them to be Naga militants and encroachers in Disapur area of the district along the Assam-Nagaland border.

Police said a joint team of Assam Police and the army was conducting a counter-insurgency operation in the area against the United Peoples' Liberation Army (UPLA) when the security personnel were fired at.

"Someone fired and police constable Pranab Bora sustained bullet injuries. The security forces retaliated, and later we found the body of Debo Phonglo from the site," a police official said.

The injured police constable was immediately taken to the Diphu Civil Hospital where his condition was said to be stable.

Phonglo's son said his father mistook the security forces for Naga militants and fired first, injuring the police constable.

Police recovered a 12 bore gun from the dead man.