5 security personnel including Colonel and Major martyred

Five security personnel, including the commanding officer of 21 Rashtriya Rifles, Colonel Ashutosh Sharma, were martyred in North Kashmir's Handwara region by freeing the hostages from terrorists. Three militants were killed in the encounter, including Hyder's commander in Kashmir, Haider. At the same time, a crowd gathered at the encounter site on Sunday afternoon and 8 civilians were seriously injured in a blast there.

Colonel Ashutosh, Major Anuj Sood of 21 Rashtriya Rifles, Nayak Rajesh, Lance Naik Dinesh and Sub Inspector Shakeel Qazi of Jammu and Kashmir Police are involved in this encounter in Chhanjmula village of Handwara. The encounter started on Friday night. On Saturday night, 5 security personnel including two army officers went missing. He was cut off from the team. All five were trapped in the house where the terrorists were hiding. The army said that a joint operation was carried out by the army and the Jammu and Kashmir Police after receiving information that some civilians were being held hostage by terrorists in a house. Director General of Police Dilbag Singh said that the colonel and his team bravely freed the people held hostage by the terrorists. A group of Lashkar terrorists were seen in the jungles of Rajwar for the past few days. These included Hyder Divisional Commander Haider. If sources are to be believed, Hyder had come to pick up a new squad of terrorists from across the LoC.

Colonel Ashutosh was awarded the Bravery Medal 2 times

Colonel Ashutosh Sharma is the second Commanding Officer (CO) to be martyred in the 3-decade history of the 21st National Rifle formed to counter terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir. Colonel Ashutosh had been awarded the Medal of Valor 2 times in Kashmir. Earlier, the battalion lost its first commanding officer as Colonel Rajinder Chauhan on 21 August 2000.

Rajesh Kumar was the hero of Mansa

Chandigarh: Martyred hero Rajesh Kumar was a resident of Mansa, Punjab, in an encounter with terrorists. Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarendra Singh has announced a grant of Rs 10 lakh to his family and a job to one. He called the acts of terrorists disgusting. On the other hand, Colonel Ashutosh Sharma was from Jaipur. Colonel Sharma's family lives in Jaipur and he originally hailed from Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh. UP CM Yogi Adityanath has ordered Rs 40 lakh to his wife, Rs 10 lakh to his mother and a government job to a dependent. The Gaurav Dwar will also be built in his ancestral village Parvana in his memory. Lansanayak Dinesh Singh was a resident of Almora district of Uttarakhand.

Will never forget his valor, martyrdom: Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted, “… tribute. His might and martyrdom can never be forgotten. He worked tirelessly to protect his citizens. Condolences to his family and friends. ”Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, CDS General Bipin Rawat, Army Chief MM Narwane also paid tribute.