As per the official statement on Sunday, A Colonel and a Major were among five security personnel killed in an encounter at a village in north Kashmir’s Handwara area. An Official, Two terrorists were also killed in the encounter at the Chanjmulla area of Handwara, which is part of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district.
The Army officers were leading a team to rescue civilians who had been taken hostage by the terrorists, the officials stated. J&K DGP Dilbag Singh told that, Sad to inform that all 5 members of the original team including CO 21 RR Col Ashutosh Sharma, Maj Anuj Sood, Police Sub Inspector Shakeel Qazi, one Lc Naik and one rifleman have been martyred.
The loss of our soldiers and security personnel in Handwara(J&K) is deeply disturbing and painful. They showed exemplary courage in their fight against the terrorists and made supreme sacrifice while serving the country. We will never forget their bravery and sacrifice.
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) May 3, 2020
As the hostages were being rescued, the team, which also consisted of a Lance Naik and a Rifleman, came under heavy fire which was effectively retaliated by the security personnel in the outer cordon, Official said.
Col Sharma was leading a team to rescue civilians who had been taken hostage by the terrorists hiding in a house at the Chanjmullah area of Handwara in frontier Kupwara district of north Kashmir on May 2, the officials stated.
Read Also, Para commandos begin final assault on holed up terrorists in J&K
Based on the intelligence input that terrorists were taking the civilian inmates of a house in Changimulla, Handwara of Kupwara district hostage, a joint operation was launched by Army and J&K Police, asserted Army spokesperson on Handwara Operation.
The encounter began on Saturday afternoon after the army and police launched a joint operation in the forests of Rajwar following a tip-off about the presence of terrorists in the area. The terrorists emerged and hid inside a house.
In the early hours of Sunday, a major offensive was launched by the security forces as there had been no contact with the Colonel or his team. Two terrorists were killed in the encounter, they said.
Add Comment