Clashes erupted after the government forces cordoned off Heff-Shirmal area of Shopian in south Kashmir on Wednesday morning.

As the forces laid a siege, scores of people started raising pro-freedom slogans and hurled Stones on them to disrupt the operation, sources said

The forces retaliated by lobbing teargas shells.

Sources said that the operation was launched after inputs about the presence of militants.

Clashes were going on when last reports came in.