Residents in Indian-Held Kashmir clashed with government forces Saturday as they defied a stringent curfew on the anniversary of the killing of a charismatic freedom leader whose death triggered open defiance against Indian rule.

Officials and witnesses said residents in the main city of Srinagar and at least four places in southern Kashmir tried to march on the streets while chanting slogans in favour of rebels and ending Indian rule. Police and paramilitary soldiers fired tear gas to disperse the crowds.

The protesters responded by hurling rocks at troops. At least 15 people were reported injured in the clashes.

While Kashmir has remained on edge, the Pakistani and Indian armies, which regularly trade fire and blame across the de-facto militarised frontier that divides the disputed territory between them, fired at each other’s positions, killing three civilians and an off-duty soldier, officials said.

Pakistan’s military said two civilians were killed and three others wounded in the Indian army’s unprovoked firing and shelling at two places along the highly militarised Line of Control (LoC).

India’s military said an off-duty soldier visiting his home was killed along with his wife after a shell fired from the Pakistani side hit their house in Poonch sector. Army spokesman Lt Col Manish Mehta called it an 'unprovoked' violation of the 2003 cease-fire between Pakistan and India.

India has accused Pakistan of arming and training the rebels, which Pakistan denies.

For the second straight day, government forces sealed off the hometown of Burhan Wani, the 22-year-old rebel leader who was killed along with two associates in a gunbattle with Indian troops last year. Witnesses said security forces ordered residents in southern Tral town to stay indoors.

“I’ve never seen so many soldiers in aggressive posturing enforcing a curfew in my town. This is an unprecedented restriction,” local resident Mohammed Hanief said by phone.

Troops laid steel barricades and coiled razor wire on roads and intersections to cut off neighborhoods as authorities anticipated widespread protests. They also shut mobile internet services as part of the lockdown to stop activists from rallying online support.

“We’re enforcing strict restrictions to deal with any law and order issues,” said SP Vaid, the region’s police chief.

Freedom fighters, who challenge India’s sovereignty over Kashmir, called for a strike and protests to honor Wani. Most of the top leaders have either been detained or put under house arrest.

Wani’s killing set off months of protests and deadly clashes across the region, during which at least 90 people were killed and thousands injured.

Wani, who attracted dozens of new recruits while using Facebook and other social media sites, had rejuvenated Hizbul Mujahideen, the largest of Kashmir’s freedom demanding groups. Its top leader based in AJK, Syed Salahuddin, was recently designated as a “global terrorist” by the US.

In Muzaffarabad, the capital of AJK, Salahuddin asked Pakistan for military support to militants as he spoke Saturday at a rally attended by thousands of people to honour Wani.

“We don’t need only political, diplomatic and moral support. Now we need a solid military support against Indian forces,” Salahuddin said.