Suspected Islamic militants kill 10 people in troubled Kashmir

The Associated Press

JAMMU, India - Guerrillas in Indian-controlled Kashmir opened fire on activists of the pro-India governing party yesterday and were suspected in the bombing of a bus heading for a Hindu pilgrimage on a day of violence that left at least 10 dead, police and hospital officials said.

The attacks came a day after voters went to polls in the third of four phases of Jammu-Kashmir state elections, which separatist Islamic militants have vowed to disrupt saying they are rigged in favor of pro-India politicians.

India also was marking the birthday yestrday of its independence leader, Mohandas K. Gandhi, who repeatedly called for unity between India's Hindus and Muslims. He was assassinated by a Hindu fanatic in 1948, shortly after the partition of India and Pakistan.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for yesterday's attacks, but police suspected Muslim militants.

In the first attack, a bomb exploded on a bus filled with Hindu pilgrims after it left Jammu, the state's winter capital, killing at least two passengers and injuring 22 others, police and hospital officials said.

Hours later, five paramilitary soldiers were killed when suspected insurgents triggered an explosive device while the soldiers were checking a road for land mines in the village of Pashtoon, about 40 miles south of Srinagar, a police officer said on condition of anonymity.