In the first major strike ahead of the bypoll to the Pampore assembly constituency in Jammu and Kashmir, a policeman was killed and four injured on Wednesday when militants blew up a police vehicle, official sources said in Srinagar.

The gypsy was patrolling in the Konibal area in the constituency in Pulwama district when it ran over an improvised explosive device (IED) around noon, the sources said.

Constable Aijaz Ahmad died instantly while Satish Kumar, Subash Chander, Ghulam Nabi and Ashwini Kumar were seriously injured and shifted to a hospital.

No militant outfit has claimed responsibility for the blast, they said.

The bypoll was necessitated by the assassination of sitting MLA Abdul Aziz of the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) in December.

Nine candidates are in the fray for the February 26 bypoll in the constituency, which has over 50,000 voters.