Srinagar, Sep 3 (IANS): A young man was shot dead during clashes between security forces and stone-pelters on Monday in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district after a massive search operation was launched in around two dozen villages, police said.

Doctors at the S.M.H.S. Hospital here said Fayaz Ahmad Wani, who was critically injured in the street clashes, was declared dead on arrival.

Security forces used tear smoke shells and pellets to quell the protesters, injuring Wani in Dusoo village. He was first shifted to the Pulwama District Hospital, the police said.

Around half-a-dozen other civilians were also injured in the clashes.

The police said the stone-pelting mob clashed with the security forces during a cordon and search operation in Pulwama District.

The search operation began following reports about the presence of militants in some villages including Putrigam, Rohmu, Rajpora, Matrigam, Goosu and Frasipora.

This is not the first such operation by the security forces in south Kashmir.

These "area domination operations" are usually undertaken to keep the militants on the run and prevent them from establishing a foothold in the region.