There's anger against the Army in North Kashmir after a 21-year-old mentally unstable man Ajaz Ahmed was shot dead by the troops after he allegedly tried to assault a trooper.

What's unusual about this protest is that it's not led by separatists but by the local MLA who wants the guilty punished and withdrawal of Rashtriya Rifles from the Valley.

The government has ordered a magisterial probe and the police have registered a murder case against the Army but that did not pacify protesters.

There could not have been worse incident than this at a time when Prime Minister Manmohan Sigh is visiting Jammu and Kashmir on October 28.

The Army claims the man intruded into their camp and tried to attack a trooper with an axe but protesters are not buying that.

"That's absolutely unacceptable, our question to our CM and Manmohan Sigh is that he is visiting Kashmir on 28, what he can give to Kashmiris if these incidents continue," said Engineer Rashid, MLA.

Separatists who have welcomed the PM's statement on dialogue were either put under house arrest or detained when they tried to visit the area.

"I was going to offer my condolences to the family and know as to why he was killed but there are restrictions on this also," said Yasin Malik, Chairman, J&K Liberation Front.

This incident may just be a major challenge for the government not just to ensure justice but also to pave the way for a purposeful dialogue.