Muslim separatists shot dead five Hindu road workers and wounded three others in India's Jammu and Kashmir state, police said.
"Two militants in camouflage fatigue descended on the work site late last night near Rajouri district and opened indiscriminate fire on the labourers' camp," said S.P. Vaid, a senior police officer.
"All of them belonged to the minority community."
The mountainous Rajouri district is 170 kilometres, northwest of Jammu, the winter capital of the scenic Himalayan region, which is claimed in full by both India and Pakistan, and the cause of two of their wars.
The Rajouri killings came days ahead of a meeting in New Delhi next week of leaders of South Asian countries, including India and Pakistan, to discuss regional co-operation on issues such as terrorism.
Hindus are a minority in Jammu and Kashmir, mainly Hindu India's only Muslim-majority state, where they have been targeted by Islamist rebels fighting New Delhi's rule.
The 17-year-old-revolt has killed more than 42,000 people officials say. However, human rights groups put the toll at around 60,000.
