Kashmir militant attacks leave 9 dead

Indian army soldiers take positions in the woods near the line of control which divides India and Pakistan in Jammu, India

SRINAGAR, India-controlled Kashmir (CNN) -- Violence ahead of next week's state elections in Kashmir has left nine people dead, police said.

In the village of Soibugh, located in the central district of Badgam about 12 kilometers (7 miles) south of Srinagar, three police were killed early Monday along with one militant when militants intercepted and attacked a state police vehicle, police sources said.

Separately, suspected Kashmiri militants entered two homes in the Rajouri district of Jammu region and killed five Hindu villagers -- two women and three men, police said Monday. One other villager was wounded.

There has been no claim of responsibility.

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The incident happened late Sunday night in the village of Doodasan Pane about 150 kilometers (93 miles) northwest of Jammu -- near the Line of Control that separates Indian- and Pakistani-administered Kashmir -- and came just over a week ahead of the first phase of four-stage local elections scheduled to start September 16.

Escalated violence

Police have reported an escalation of violence in the region ahead of the elections.

Kashmiri militants are calling for residents not to participate in the Indian-administered vote and have threatened to attack people taking part in the elections.

Kashmir is at the centre of an eight-month standoff between India and Pakistan, which have fought two wars over the Himalayan region.

More than 260 people, mostly rebels, have been killed in violence there since August 2, when India announced state elections for September and October in a bid to shore up the legitimacy of its rule.

-- CNN Correspondent Ram Ramgopal and Suhasini Haidar contributed to this report