Srinagar, Jun 26 (IANS): A group of militants shot dead a businessman in north Kashmir's Sopore town Wednesday morning, police said.

The militants shot Kifayat Hussain from a close range in Shankergund area of Sopore, some 55 km from here, a senior police officer said.

"He was talking to someone on phone near a petrol pump in Shankergund area of Sopore when militants fired at him from close range. He succumbed to his injuries while being taken to hospital," the officer said.

Hussain had unsuccessfully contested the 2008 assembly elections from Sopore constituency as an independent candidate. He was provided with two armed security guards. The guards were reportedly not with him when the attack took place.

Police said the militant who fired at Kifayat fled in a waiting vehicle.

The attack has come at a time when the security forces have sounded a state-wide high alert in view of the two-day visit of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi that ends Wednesday.

On Monday, the guerrillas carried out a deadly ambush in Srinagar, killing eight army troopers and injuring 13 others.