Six killed, ten wounded in Kashmir violence

INDIA: Six people were killed in shootings and 10 wounded in a grenade attack on a bus carrying Hindu pilgrims in Indian Kashmir, police and the army said Monday as a group of a dozen Islamic militants gave themselves up to troops.

Indian soldiers shot dead four Muslim rebels during a fierce gunbattle near the de facto border dividing Kashmir between India and Pakistan.

"The four were killed during a gunbattle that erupted late Sunday in the (northern) Gurez sector," said army spokesman Hemant Joneja.

He said they were part of a group that had infiltrated into Indian Kashmir last Wednesday across the Line of Control.

"In all a total of eight militants have been killed in Gurez since July 26 when the infiltration was detected," he said.

Police said a Muslim civilian was also killed in the crossfire and suspected militants shot dead a Muslim civilian late Sunday.

Seven Hindu pilgrims and three bystanders were wounded in a grenade attack on a bus carrying Hindu pilgrims in Srinagar on Monday, police said.

Hindu pilgrims trek to the holy cave shrine of Amarnath in the Kashmir Himalayas annually during a two-month period in the summer. The pilgrimage has been a target for Islamic separatists in some previous years.

It was the second such attack this year after five pilgrims were wounded by a grenade last month. It follows a series of similar attacks on Indian tourists since May that have killed 15 and wounded nearly 70. Twelve militants laid down their arms and surrendered to the army on Monday, an army statement said.

With their faces covered for fear of reprisals, the militants told reporters that they were disillusioned.

Srinagar, Tuesday, AFP