Jammu, Sep 9 - An Indian Army major and two militants were killed in fighting near the border with Pakistan in the mountainous Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said Wednesday.

The army sources said that a group of militants were trying to sneak into the Indian side in the Sonagali area of Poonch district Tuesday night, some 220 km northwest of Jammu.

A gunbattle started when the security forces challenged the infiltrators after spotting them. One army major and two militants were killed in the fighting.

Meanwhile, a search operation was launched in the area to nab the other militants. The troops are also scanning the area for more bodies of the militants who might have died in the attack.