There has been more violence in Indian-administered Kashmir and along the Line of Control that divides Indian and Pakistani forces.

Police say two paramilitary soldiers and a policeman were shot dead on Wednesday in separate attacks by suspected militants in Srinagar, the summer capital of the troubled territory.

Some locals say that security forces deployed in the area set fire to shops and vehicles after the shootings.

Police have not responded to the allegations.

In a separate incident, the Indian Army says four of its soldiers were killed in a clash with Pakistani troops along the Line of Control.

Some Pakistani soldiers are also reported to have been killed.

Bold attacks

The BBC's Daniel Lak in Delhi says the killings in the centre of Srinagar show the increasing boldness of militant groups who now strike directly at the security forces, often in their heavily guarded headquarters.

He says there have been assassinations and killings of off-duty personnel as well.

He says it is clear that the militants are trying to lower the morale of the army and armed militia forces - all from outside Kashmir.

But he says the border firing, in clashes that frequently claim the lives of regular soldiers on both sides, is a different sort of violence.

Border clashes

Although the two countries are supposed to be observing a UN-sponsored ceasefire in Kashmir, the agreement is regularly broken by both.

On every occasion, one country accuses the other of starting firing and because of restrictions on the movement of UN monitors, independent confirmation is almost impossible.

India says Pakistan arms and trains militants in Indian administered-Kashmir, and use artillery and mortar fire to cover the infiltration of militants.

Pakistan routinely denies directly aiding militancy. It says it only returns Indian fire.

The BBC's Daniel Lak says there is talk in India of some sort of punitive or pre-emptive action against militant infiltration in Kashmir - but that is not discussed publicly as an option.

Analysts say the situation is getting worse with fears of more intense and wider clashes growing.

On Wednesday, India's army chief General V P Malik dismissed reports that Pakistan had been unaware of a major military exercise India is carrying out in the Thar desert near their common border.

All India Radio reported that General Malik said each side was required to inform the other about any proposed war games and this had been done.

He said the exercises were for training purposes.