Militants kill 22 villagers in Kashmir

May 1, 2006 Suspected Muslim militants shot dead over 20 villagers in the Doda district of the Indian state of Jammu & Kashmir early on Monday morning.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks, but police suspect that the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Toiba is involved and have called the attack "pre-planned."

Eyewitnesses say armed men in military fatigues raided the village, made the residents line up and then opened fire on them injuring 9 villagers and killing the rest.

The attack comes just after by-elections in the state and just before Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's meeting with militant leaders. The Union Home Ministry has convened an emergency meeting in New Delhi. Officers from the Intelligence Bureau are also likely to be present.