Five persons, including three militants and two policemen were killed in a 24-hour-long gun battle near the Line of Control in the border district of Poonch in the Jammu region on Sunday.

The police said a group of heavily armed militants was spotted and challenged by the security forces in a forest area near the LoC on Saturday.

"The group of militants was surrounded, and challenged to lay down their weapons, but they resorted to heavy fire, resulting in a sustained encounter during which three intruders were killed, while two policemen also died. One army trooper was injured in the heavy exchange of fire and was shifted to hospital," a senior police officer said.

"The operation is still underway, though firing has stopped. Bad weather in the forest is hampering the wrap-up of the operation," he added.

Three AK-47 rifles, 10 AK-47 magazines, 110 rounds and four hand grenades were recovered from the encounter site.