SRINAGAR, Feb 8: Suspected Muslim militants on Tuesday shot dead a municipal councillor while separately Indian troops killed a suspected militant during a gunbattle in revolt-hit Kashmir, police said.

Mohiudin Mir was abducted by armed rebels in central Kashmir district of Budgam while he was on his way to Srinagar, a police spokesman said. "He was taken to nearby snow-covered fields and shot dead," he said.

Mir and 12 other local leaders of the ruling People's Democratic Party were elected unopposed to the Berewah municipal committee, an important town in the Budgam district.

"Mir was also elected as chairman-designate by other councillors," the spokesman said.

There will be no voting in Berewah but other towns of Budgam will be voting on Thursday.

Local elections have not been held in occupied Kashmir for the past 27 years, partly because of fears by the previous ruling National Conference of the creation of a rival power base.-AFP