Srinagar, July 23 - A three-year-old boy and his father were shot dead by suspected guerrillas in a south Kashmir village, police said Thursday. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has condemned the murder and challenged the separatists' silence over it.

The incident occurred Wednesday night in south Kashmir Shopian district that has been on the boil since May 30 after the rape and murder of two women allegedly by security forces.

A police spokesman said guerrillas barged into the house of Mohammed Aslam Awan, 30, and sprayed bullets from automatic weapons at the inmates on him and his son.

'Awan and his son Arif died instantly,' the police spokesman said.

He said the bodies were shifted to hospital for autopsy.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah condemned the killings, challenging the separatist leaders on their silence over the gruesome father-son murder.