Thousands of Indian tourists, pilgrims and workers began leaving the disputed region of Kashmir after receiving a local government alert about possible militant attacks, and India said it killed at least five militants who were trying to attack its forces.
Indian security officials said on Friday they had found evidence of attacks planned by what they said were Pakistani military-backed militants on a major Hindu pilgrimage in Muslim-majority Kashmir.
A local government order effectively called off the pilgrimage, asking the pilgrims and tourists to return home.