Suspected Islamic militants opened fire on activists of the pro-India governing party in Indian-controlled Kashmir this evening and a bomb exploded on a bus filled with Hindu pilgrims on a day of violence that left at least 11 people dead.
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 Wednesday 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.
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.
The worshippers were bound for the starting point of a pilgrimage to the shrine of the Hindu goddess of power, Vaishno Devi.
No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, but police suspected Muslim militants.
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. Voting for the state legislature was held in that area on Tuesday.