A top Kashmiri militant accused of killing 16 Hindus in the revolt-torn Himalayan region was shot dead in a gun battle with troops on Friday, a defence spokesman said.

Yaseen was a policeman before he joined the Hizbul Mujahideen group and went on to head one of its units, he said. He was accused of killing 10 Hindus in 2004 and six last year.

"He was a police deserter, a most wanted militant and involved in two massacres of minority community members in Rajouri district, " Lieutenant-Colonel SD Goswami said.