Rural Development Minister Peerzada Mohammed Sayeed and Roads and Buildings Minister Ghulam Ahmed Mir missed the blast by seconds as their convoy passed a village near the northern town of Sopore, police said.

Six policemen, including a senior officer, travelling in an escort vehicle behind the ministers' cars were injured in the blast.

Sayeed is the head of India's ruling Congress party in the state, which is in the grip of an Islamic insurgency, and Mir is from the same party. Police said two more Congress legislators were travelling in the convoy.