Police curfew after nine die in Kashmir killings

Police in Kashmir have imposed a curfew to halt demonstrations by Hindus angry at the killing of two priests.

The curfew has been imposed on the border town of Poonch in Jammu-Kashmir.

Two other Hindu civilians were shot dead in a nearby town and a family of five Muslims were killed in another village.

The officials blamed all the killings on Islamic guerrillas and imposed a curfew on the town of Poonch, near the site of the priests' killings, when Hindus began demonstrating in the street and confrontations were feared between Hindus and Muslims.

There has been no claim of responsibility from any guerrilla group.

Islamic guerrillas, based in Pakistan and fighting for an independent Kashmir or merger with Pakistan, often deny killing civilians.

An army spokesman says gunmen entered the house of the Ghulam Shah family in Marhot village, 180 kilometres (112 miles) northwest of Jammu, winter capital of India's Jammu-Kashmir state.

The spokesman, who refused to be named, says they were militants who had been refused food at the house a few days ago.

Mr Shah, his wife, daughter-in-law and two grandchildren were shot to death, said the spokesman.

Earlier, police had said they suspected guerrillas last night dragged the two sleeping priests out of a temple dedicated to the goddess Kali in Surankot, near the Pakistan border.

The priests, with their throats slit, were found some distance from the temple.

In the nearby village of Pamroad, two Hindu civilians were shot dead as they slept in their homes, police said, also blaming that attack on militants.

Hindus began demonstrating in the streets today in Poonch.

Police imposed a curfew in the town to prevent fights from breaking out between Hindus and Muslims.

Before the curfew, the Hindus had called for a general strike and extra security forces were sent to the area.

The Poonch region is 60% Muslim and 40% Hindu.