A trooper belonging to Territorial Army (TA) was shot dead by suspected militants inside his house in restive Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said Friday.

The trooper was killed in late evening on Thursday at his residence in village Sadura of Anantnag district, about 66 km south of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir. "Gunmen believed to be militants barged inside the house of TA soldier namely Manzoor Ahmad Beg at Sadoora village here last evening and shot him dead," a police official posted in Anantnag told Xinhua. "Though he was taken to district hospital here, doctors however declared him brought dead."

According to police, Beg was posted with army in Shopian district and was at home on leave.

An army spokesman said the trooper was at home to celebrate Eid festival with his family.

On Wednesday a woman was shot dead by gunmen suspected to be militants at her home in adjacent Pulwama district.

Militants in the region usually target families and individuals for their possible links with police and defense agencies. Even people having associations with pro-India political parties and police are targeted at times.

A guerilla war is going on between militants and Indian troops stationed in the region since 1989.