Suspected Muslim rebels are believed to have been behind the killing of two pro-India political activists in the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir.
Elsewhere three civilians were killed by Indian soldiers when they mistakenly wandered into an ambush set for Islamic rebels.
Indian officials fear violence in the region will escalate during elections set for later this month and October.
Muslim militants have called for a boycott of the polls and have threatened to attack those who participate in the elections. Yesterday four members of Indian Kashmir's ruling party were wounded when rebels fired at them.
India has accused Pakistan of sponsoring the 13-year-old insurgency by training and arming rebels.
However Islamabad has denied the charge, saying it only provides diplomatic and moral support to what it calls a Kashmiri freedom struggle.
Authorities in Kashmir say more than 35,000 people have died since the outbreak of the rebellion in late 1989. Separatists put the death toll at over 80,000.
