New Delhi: A 22-year-old tourist from Chennai died after being hit on the head by a stone during a protest on the outskirts of Srinagar on Monday. The incident – which also left two members of his family injured – occurred near Narbal, located in Badgam district of the state.

The stone-pelters were protesting against the killing of five Hizbul Mujahideen militants in an encounter in Shopian on Sunday, Times of India reported.

According to a police official, R. Thirumani was heading to a resort in Gulmarg with his parents when their car was stoned by protesters. The Chennai man was then taken to SKIMS hospital at Soura, where he succumbed to his injuries.

The tourists left for Gulmarg early Monday morning when troops were still being deployed on the roads.

“They (the youth and his family) were traveling in a Tavera. A few stones hit their vehicle. One of the stones hit him on the head,” said Magam sub-divisional police officer Showkat Ahmad, according to an Indian Express report.

A case was registered and investigations have been taken up in the matter, an official said.

Separatist leaders Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Mohammad Yasin Malik had called for a three-day shutdown and protests across the Valley soon after Sunday’s anti-militancy operation.

“It is very sad and heartbreaking,” Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti was quoted as saying after meeting the family of the Chennai tourist.

Former chief minister of the state and opposition National Conference working president Omar Abdullah took to Twitter to condemn the incident and offer condolences.

This young man from Chennai died in my constituency & while I don’t support these goons, their methods or their ideology I’m deeply, deeply sorry that this happened at all & that too in an area I’ve been proud to represent since 2014. — Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) May 7, 2018

We’ve killed a tourist by throwing stones at the vehicle he was travelling in. Let’s try and wrap our heads around the fact that we stoned a tourist, a guest, to death while we glorify these stone pelters & their methods. — Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) May 7, 2018

“I’m also pained to know that among the injured from the stone pelting in Narbal is a young woman from Handwara in North Kashmir. I pray she & the others injured make a quick recovery,” Abdullah further tweeted.

Monday’s attack is among a series of similar incidents this month. On May 1, seven tourists were injured when three vehicles were stoned at Aishmuqam in Anantnag. In another such incident, a class II student suffered a head injury when the school bus carrying him was attacked by stone pelters in Shopian district of south Kashmir.

(With PTI inputs)