Jammu, Sep 9 - Major Akash Singh Samyal, who was killed while fighting infiltrators in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district Tuesday night, was given a hero's farewell by the people of Jammu.

In a gunbattle between militants and army soldiers at the line of control in Mendhar sector of Poonch district, two terrorists were killed, while others managed to escape across the border around 1 a.m. Tuesday night.

Singh, 34, who belonged to Shiv Nagar locality in Jammu, was killed while fighting the intruders.

A crowd of several hundred descended on Shakti Nagar cremation ground late Wednesday afternoon to bid farewell to the army officer.

The moment the Indian tricolour wrapped coffin of Major Singh arrived at the cremation ground, people jostled to touch it. 'He was a brave son of the soil, we all have come here to pay respect to him,' said Vijay Shanker, one of the mourners.

Singh is survived by his wife, a four-and-a-half-year-old daughter and a two-year-old son.