SRINAGAR, March 28: Indian troops on Thursday shot dead a freedom fighter who had holed himself up in a mosque in Kashmir, where 15 people were killed in separatist violence, officials said.

The 12-hour siege of the mosque by security forces ended when the separatist fired out of the mosque and troops returned fire, killing him, an army spokesman said.

Meanwhile, Indian troops on Thursday shot dead four mujahideen in a six-hour long encounter at Botingo Kund village, police said.

A civilian was killed in the neighbouring village of Lamad when he strayed into cross-fire between mujahideen and the security forces.

A security force personnel died in a landmine explosion in the southern Kashmir district of Doda overnight, police said, while two others were killed by troops in the same district.

Five more mujahideen were shot dead by Indian troops in separate encounters.

In Srinagar, separatists on Thursday shot dead an alleged police informer. A government employee, who was sitting next to him, also died in the shoot-out.—AFP