New Delhi: Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah has courted controversy once again after alleging that the recent encounter in Kupwara, where three soldiers lost their life, was being blown out of proportion to tarnish the image of Muslims.

Calling it a conspiracy to inflame hatred against the Muslims, the Srinagar MP asked why there was less hue and cry over Sukma attack as compared to Kupwara encounter.

Three soldiers were killed and five injured when militants attacked an army camp in Chokibal area of Kupwara district in Jammu and Kashmir early on Thursday.

Sources had told CNN-News18 that the martyrs included an Army officer, a Junior Commissioner Officer and a jawan, adding that the injuries sustained by five other soldiers were non-fatal.

At least twenty-five Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawans were killed in a tragic attack carried out by Naxals in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district on Monday.

Abdullah's remarks in the recent past have sparked outrage. Abdullah had recently claimed that the stone pelters in the Kashmir valley were not giving up their lives for tourism but for resolution of the Kashmir issue as per the wishes of its people.

"If he (stone pelting youth) is giving up his life, he is not doing it for tourism. He is giving his life so that the destiny of this nation is decided which should be acceptable to the people of this place. This needs to be understood," Abdullah had said at an election meeting in the Sonawar constituency.

Abdullah's remarks were perceived to be an endorsement of stone pelters by people from all quarters. However, Abdullah's son Omar cleared the air later in interview to CNN-News18. Omar said that his father was only apprising people of stone pelters' motive.

"Youth who are pelting stones are not doing it for the jobs, but because they feel Jammu and Kashmir is not a part of India," he said.