5 killed, 25 hurt in Kashmir car bomb

The blast came as the army reported a rise in rebel infiltration into the Indian zone of disputed Kashmir since Himalayan snows began melting. India's Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee said militants are still being trained in the Pakistani zone.

The explosion outside a school in a high security zone was caused by a car bomb that targeted two passing security force vehicles, Kashmir police chief Gopal Sharma told reporters.

"Four soldiers have died in the explosion," Sharma said.

Doctors at Srinagar's main hospital said the body of a government employee was also found at the scene. Earlier, the town's police chief Syed Ahmed had said all five dead were Indian soldiers.

Police and the army said 17 civilians and four soldiers were injured.

Police said they were investigating eyewitness claims that a car laden with explosives was driven into the back of an army vehicle, possibly by a suicide bomber.

"It is possible that the militant driving the car might have jumped out at the last moment," said Javed Maqdoomi, inspector general of police.

He said searchers have not been able to find the remains of a suicide bomber but were still investigating.

The region's main rebel group Hizbul Mujahedin claimed responsibility in a telephone call to a local news agency. It made no mention of a suicide bomber.

"It was a devastating blast," said Abdul Majid, a government employee, who was passing by the area.

"We saw an army jeep thrown on the footpath. We could see at least one dead soldier whose head had been severed. Other civilians were lying in a pool of blood."

The area was strewn with debris from a vehicle, bullet-proof jackets and other army gear. Windows in a nearby shopping centre were shattered.