NEW DELHI: The mayor of Chittoor town in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh has been killed by unknown attackers.

According to the BBC, Katari Anuradha was shot and stabbed by at least three men wearing burqas, Indian media reported, quoting police. The motive has yet to be established.

Her husband, who was with her, is in a critical condition with bullet and stab injuries.

The attack took place at the Chittoor Municipal Corporation office, where the staff tried to stop the attackers.

Senior police official G. Srinivas told the Indian Express newspaper that they were exploring several angles, including old rivalry and new enemies.

The assailants fled the scene after the attack, although reports say two people later handed themselves into police.

The attackers had been wearing burqas as they forced their way into Ms Anuradha’s office, media reports said.

Security has been tightened in Chittoor and state police are closing borders with neighboring Tamil Nadu state in an attempt to find the killers.

Separately, military official said an Indian Army colonel was killed by suspected militants who fired automatic rifles from the forest in the Indian portion of Kashmir.

Army Col. Nitin N.Joshi says the battle flared Tuesday in the northern Kupwara region of Kashmir.

Joshi said two Indian army soldiers were wounded in earlier fighting with the rebels in the same region over the weekend. Clashes are continuing in the area.