Two Kashmiri rebels dressed in police uniforms fought their way into a security camp in Srinagar, the summer capital of Indian Kashmir, today and killed five soldiers, police said.
Both attackers also died in the firefight that followed the most daring militant attack since a new government led by a regional group took power this month promising to heal the wounds of a 13-year separatist revolt in the Muslim-majority region.
Officials said security forces were looking for a third militant who had opened fire from outside the hotel where the security camp is located. The building now houses only security forces.
"The idea was to inflict maximum damage, it was a suicide attack," said Mr H.K. Sareen, insp gen of the paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force which was targeted in the attack.
Fidayeen, or suicide squads, from the banned Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba have carried out a series of attacks on Indian security installations in Kashmir.
Police said no group had yet admitted responsibility for the latest assault, in which the militants lobbed grenades and fired automatic weapons as they stormed the hotel in a busy part of Srinagar.