Two senior army officers and a Sub-Inspector of police were among five armed forces men lost their lives in a gunfight with the terrorists in Chanjimulla Handwara, a forest area in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district, on Sunday. Two terrorists were also killed in the gunfight which broke out at around 3:45 p.m. on Saturday. 

The Commanding Officer who led from the front and made the supreme sacrifice, Colonel Ashutosh Sharma, was decorated with Sena Medal (Gallantry) twice.

4 Indian Army personnel incl the Commanding Officer, Major of 21 Rashtriya Rifles unit along with 2 soldiers & 1 J&K Police jawan lost their lives in an encounter in Handwara in Jammu & Kashmir.