Four valorous personnel of the Indian armed forces and Kashmir’s police sub-inspector lost their lives in the frontier region of Jammu & Kashmir on Sunday. In an encounter which ensued since the last night, the four soldiers were martyred earlier today. Their identities were revealed as following by the Indian Army: Colonel Ashutosh Sharma, Major Anuj Sood, Naik Rajesh Kumar and Lance Naik Dinesh Singh. and sub-inspector of JKP Shakeel Qazi were martyred in the line of duty

Colonel Sharma was a decorated officer who was part of several counter-insurgency operations in J&K. He belonged to Uttar Pradesh, the most populous state of India and joined the Indian Army in his 13th attempt to be part of the prestigious force. Colonel Sharma, who is survived by his wife Pallavi Sharma and his 12-year-old daughter Tamanna, had served in the Kashmir valley for a long time and twice awarded the Sena Medal for gallantry.The WhatsApp status message on the phone reading:“हिम्मत को परखने की गुस्ताखी न करना, पहले भी कुछ तूफानों का रुख मोड़ चुका हूँ”. 

Major Anuj Sood had joined the Army after preparing for the National Defence Academy (NDA) exams, and deserting Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) education which he had initially pursued.

Major Sood was born on December 17, 1989 in Bangalore where his father was posted at that time. After his school education, he got admission into the National Defence Academy (NDA), Pune, in 2012.Major Anuj’s sister Harshita is also serving as a Captain in the army. She is a national-level shooter and is currently undergoing training at the Army Marksmanship Unit at Mhow, Indore. His elder sister lives in Australia while mother Suman is working as a principal in a government school in Yamunanagar.

His father Brigadier Chandrakant Sood (retd) shifted from Gurugram here along with wife eight months ago. He lives in a rented accommodation in Amravati Enclave where their new house is under construction. Major Anuj’s wife Akriti Singh is working in a private company in Pune.On his demise, the bereaved father said it was the duty of his son to keep his life on the line to keep the countrymen safe.

“He has made a supreme sacrifice. It was part of his duty&what he was trained for. I feel sad for his wife as they just got married 3-4 months back. He was meant to save lives: Rtd Brig Chandrakant Sood, father of late Major Anuj Sood.

Shaheed Nayak Rajesh Kumar, who hailed from Mansa village in Punjab, hails from Mansa district of Punjab. His family lives in Rajrana village of Sardulgarh tehsil.
Rajesh, 29, has five siblings. The parents live in Rajrana village. According to Rajesh’s brother Subhash, he has not yet reported the brother’s martyrdom to his parents. Rajesh joined the army 10 years ago and last came home in February. His family is financially weak. The brothers used to take the field on the share. He himself has less than an acre. The family was being supported by the money Rajesh sent. Both his sisters are married. According to the villagers, Rajesh had repaired his small house in the village only last year.

Lance Naik Dinesh Singh is the son of a retired Subedar. The family was preparing for their wedding this year. Dinesh’s family is from Almora in Uttarakhand. The 24-year-old protagonist, Dinesh, is survived by his father, mother and two elder sisters. The parents live in Mirgaon, Almora. Dinesh came home in November last year.

Sub-inspector Sageer Ahmed Pathan alias ‘Qazi’ who joined the force in 1999 as a constable.
Born in 1978 at Trad village near the Line of Control of Karnah in Kupwara district of north Kashmir, Pathan had a passion for challenges which drew him to the police force. Pathan, whose name was earlier spelt at Shakeel Qazi, volunteered to join the elite Special Operations Group (SOG) in 2006 to fight against terrorism.
Pathan, who is survived by three daughters and a son besides aged parents, became a darling of 21 Rashtriya Rifles as he was well aware of the terrain used by the terrorists to enter the hinterland of Kashmir.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the nation in mourning the demise of the four martyrs. “Tributes to our courageous soldiers and security personnel martyred in Handwara. Their valour and sacrifice will never be forgotten. They served the nation with utmost dedication and worked tirelessly to protect our citizens. Condolences to their families and friends,” he said.

Jammu & Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Girish Chandra Murmu also expressed anguish over the demise, saying that the sacrifices would not go in vain. “We salute the valour of the Army, police and other security forces for playing a crucial role in combating terrorism and ensuring safe and secure environment for the people”, Murmu said.

“The supreme sacrifice made by security personnel who attained martyrdom during an encounter in the Handwara area of Kashmir will always be remembered,” the Lt Governor added. He also expressed solidarity with the families of the martyrs and said the sacrifices of the bravehearts will not go waste.

Handwara, located 70 km north of Srinagar, is part of the Kupwara district in North Kashmir. The counter-insurgency operation was launched after the forces were tipped about the presence of militants in Changimulla area of Handwara. While four jawans were martyred, the prime target of the military operation – Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander Haider – was eliminated.

Bollywood celebrity Ayushmann Khurrana penned a heartfelt poem for soldiers killed in Handwara attack,”देश का हर जवान बहुत ख़ास है, है लड़ता जब तक श्वास है, परिवारों के सुखों का कारावास है, शहीदों की माओं का अनंत उपवास है, उनके बच्चों को कहते सुना है – पापा अभी भी हमारे पास हैं! -आयुष्मान #JaiHind #JaiJawan #Handwara “