Fighters killed seven people on a bus in Indian Kashmir Tuesday and attacked several election stations as voters shunned the third round of elections in the troubled state's India has billed the vote, which ends on Oct. 8, as a test of Pakistan's pledge to curb the flow of militants across the border into the Muslim-majority state, but more 600 people have died since the poll was called on August 2. Terrified passengers traveling from Delhi to the Himalayan state huddled on the floor of their bus for 20 minutes as suspected Islamic militants dressed as Indian policemen opened fire with automatic rifles.

"There were two to three people wearing police uniforms," passenger Bhushan Lal told Reuters. "They opened fire on the bus as we crouched on the floor."

Bhushan said victims were left lying in pools of blood. Police said five civilians died instantly and two more died later in hospital and nine others were injured.

"The fire was so heavy, everybody was screaming, crying for help," said Wanchuk Norbu, a student who was also on the bus.

Police said they killed one of the guerrillas and were searching the area for the other two.

SLOW START

Voting stations opened across four districts on a cold, crisp autumn morning, but many voters stayed away, saying the poll was no solution to the dispute over Kashmir's future.

Just three votes were cast in the first three hours at one polling booth in Anantnag, a bastion of separatism, north of where the bus attack took place.

"This election is a fraud, we want freedom," said Gul Mohammed Butt, who works in an garage in the town.
Polls close at 1030 GMT.

Suspected kashmiri nationalist fighters attacked several polling stations with grenades and automatic rifles, injuring almost a dozen paramilitary soldiers.

A shadowy guerrilla group, Al-Arfeen, claimed responsibility for the attacks, a local news agency said. The group had also said it was behind the killing of the state law minister during a campaign rally last month.

An election commission official said turnout was less than four percent in the first two hours. Turnout in the first two rounds of voting was above 40 percent.

Moderate kashmiri nationalists are boycotting the poll, which they say can be no substitute for a U.N.-mandated plebiscite to decide whether Kashmir should stay with India or join Pakistan, and militants have vowed to target anyone involved in the election.

"Terrorists are trying to do something big, but I am confident we will go through this difficult round," said state police chief Ashok Kumar Suri.

India is banking on the elections to boost the legitimacy of its rule in the territory and weaken a 13 year-insurgency.

Villagers along the heavily guarded national highway from Srinagar to Anantnag said they would not vote despite pressure.

"Security forces came in this morning and they asked us to go and vote, we promised them we will go... but we are not going," said Farooq Ahmad, threshing rice on a farm by the roadside.

Police quickly broke up an anti-poll protest in Anantnag.

"We want freedom!" a small group chanted as soldiers armed with automatic weapons patrolled the otherwise deserted streets.

NO PRESSURE, SAYS ARMY

The army denied soldiers had ordered people to vote.

"The army has been tasked to provide a general environment of security during the elections and troops have scrupulously adhered to their brief by remaining neutral... they have not resorted to coercing anyone," a defense spokesman said.

In Hindu-dominated Kathua district bordering Pakistan, people stepped out despite the bus attack nearby.

"The violence has become part of our life, but voting is something that we have to do," farmer Randhir Singh said.

The last of four rounds of voting will be next Tuesday in another of the state's most dangerous areas. Counting is due to begin for all regions on October 10.

The row over Kashmir is at the core of a long military stand-off between India and Pakistan that brought them close to their third war over the disputed region in June.

PHOTO CAPTION

Indian polling officials wait for voters in Gulzarpora village as the third phase of assembly elections for Jammu and Kashmir gets underway, October 1, 2002. Gunmen killed seven people on a bus in Indian Kashmir and attacked several election stations as voters shunned the third round of elections in the troubled state's separatist heartland. (Kamal Kishore/Reuters)