Highly reliable official sources told that after an initial fierce firefight, there was a lull following which five security men—a Colonel namely Ashutosh Sharma, a Major namely Anup Sood and two soldiers of 21 Rashtriya Rifles besides a Sub Inspector namely Mohammad Sagier Qazi of J-K Police’s Special Operation Group —moved close to a cowshed near the house where the terrorists had taken refuge after escaping from nearby Rajwara forests on Friday afternoon. However, there was a standoff between them and terrorists amid inclement weather. The five army men lost contact with colleagues on ‘tour of duty’.
4 Indian Army personnel incl the Commanding Officer, Major of 21 Rashtriya Rifles unit along with 2 soldiers &one Jammu and Kashmir Police jawan lost their lives in an encounter in Handwara in Jammu and Kashmir. Two terrorists also killed in the encounter: Indian Army officials. Four Army personnel including Commanding Officer Col Ashutosh Sharma martyred in action along with a JKP Police SI in Handwara ops. The team had entered a house to save civilians who were stuck. Team of 21 RR had entered the house of a civilian to prevent a hostage situation when they came under attack from terrorists who had already reached there.4 Armymen& a Sub Inspector lost their lives. Civilians stuck in the house were also safely evacuated: Indian Army Officials
