At least seven people including an election candidate have been killed in separate attacks by suspected rebels in the north-east Indian state of Assam.

Police said rebels of the United Liberation Front of Assam (Ulfa) shot dead the candidate of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Jayanta Datta, and his supporters in Dibrugarh town.

In a separate attack in the same town, two people, including a policeman, were killed when suspected Ulfa rebels attacked the office of the ruling Assam Gana Parishad. (AGP).

The attacks come ahead of elections to the state legislative assembly due on 10 May.

Campaign hit

The BJP candidate, Mr Datta, and two supporters, Biren Phukan and Prashanta Gogoi, were killed in an attack on his party office in Dibrugarh.

Within 40 minutes, the second attack took place on the AGP office.

The AGP and BJP are poll allies in the elections due this month.

Just before midnight, another rebel group killed two AGP worker in western Assam.

Security has been tight during campaigning in Assam after separatist rebels including the Ulfa threatened to step up attacks in the run up to the ballot.