Shopian: One fruit merchant was killed and another injured after militants fired upon them at Trenz village in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir, the police said on Wednesday. The injured has been admitted to the hospital. According to reports, the fruit merchant belonged to Punjab. This is the second incident on Wednesday when 'non-Kashmiris' were targeted by the militants. In the morning on Wednesday, a labourer from Chhattisgarh was killed at a brick kiln in Pulwama district.

Police sources told news agency IANS that it is emerging as a pattern to instill fear among the non-Kashmiris living in Jammu and Kashmir. While the apple trader Charanjeet Singh scummed to injuries, Sanjeev (another apple trader), was immediately shifted to the District Hospital in Pulwama, where his condition is stated to be critical.

According to ANI sources, three or four unidentified militants opened fire on two Punjab-based apple traders at Trenz village in Shopian at around 7:30 pm on Wednesday. According to police, these terrorists were affiliated with the proscribed Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

Earlier this weeks, two militants, including a suspected Pakistan national had shot dead the driver of a Rajasthan truck and assaulted an orchard owner in the district. The incident took place on the same day when post-paid cellular services resumed in Kashmir after a 72-day communication clampdown following the abrogation of Article 370 provisions.

A fresh intelligence input shared on Wednesday warned of a possible terror attack as a large group of terrorists from Pakistan has possibly infiltrated into the Indian territory in Punjab and adjoining regions.

According to reports, defence bases in Punjab and Jammu area have been placed on high alert. "The defence bases in and around Punjab and Jammu are on high alert. The Indian Air Force has put its airbases in Punjab including Pathankot and Jammu on orange alert," government sources told news agency ANI.

"The inputs were received by forces today morning after which they are taking all precautions to protect the defence bases," they said. A similar intel was given earlier was security agencies warning that the terrorists would try to launch an attack on the Indian security installations.

Several defence bases in regions such as Pathankot, Jammu, Srinagar and others have been put on a high alert. An orange alert is just below the red alert. A few days ago, the bases were on high alert but the alert levels were brought down a couple of days later, sources said.

There have been reports of several atrocities and possibility of terror attacks on major defence facilities since August 5 when the Centre moved to abrogate Article 370 that granted a special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

(With inputs from agencies)