A spokesman for the Indian army said counter-insurgency units had sealed off a village in the district, before beginning a house-to-house search that led to the gunfight.

He said the militants were members of two leading separatist groups, the Hizbul Mujahideen and Lashkar-e-Toiba who, India says, are backed by Pakistan.

"With the killing of six militants today a total of 11 militants involved in the massacre have been eliminated," the spokesman said.

In another clash between security forces and suspected separatist militants in Sheikhpora, one militant and a soldier were killed, police said.

Arrests

Thousands of Kashmiri Muslims have marched to a local government office in Anantnag, to protest against "indiscriminate arrests" by the security forces after last week's massacre.

They alleged that a number of young men have disappeared after being arrested by the security forces.

Meanwhile, a leading Kashmiri separatist alliance, the All Party Hurriyat Conference, said it was organising visits by Muslim and Sikh leaders to Sikh majority villages.

They said the visits were meant to reassure the minority Sikh community after the recent killings.

The BBC's Daniel Lak says there has been an air of mystery surrounding the incident because Kashmiri Sikhs have never before been targets of violence in Kashmir.

Massacre

India blamed the Lashkar-e-Toiba and the Hizbul Mujahideen for carrying out the massacre, in Chattisinghpora village on 20 March.

Both groups rejected the charge and Pakistan accused Indian agents of the killings which, they said, were used to discredit Kashmiri separatists.

The Chattisinghpora attack took place during the visit of US President Bill Clinton to India.

It was widely condemned and President Clinton called for an end to violence and killing of civilians.

India blames Pakistan for arming the separatists but Pakistan says it only offers moral and diplomatic support.