India awakened on Sunday morning to reports of the tragic demise of four Army personnel and a police sub-inspector in Handwara in Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara district. Preliminary inputs suggest that the Indian Army and the J&K police had launched a joint operation in Handwara's Changimulla based on Intel that a few locals were being held hostage inside their home by militants.

A team of five managed to enter the target area and rescued the locals but came under heavy gunfire. In the gun battle that followed, the Indian Army lost four personnel and the J&K police one. Security forces also managed to gun down two militants, one of whom has been identified as Lashkar-e-Taiba commander Haider.

The Northern Command of the Indian Army has identified the jawans killed in the line of duty as Major Anuj Sood, Naik Rajesh, Lance Naik Dinesh and Colonel Ashutosh Sharma. Officers of the Jammu and Kashmir Police have also identified the deceased sipahi as sub-inspector Shakeel Qazi.

Commanding Officer of the 21 Rashtriya Rifles (RR), Colonel Sharma was an exceptional patriot. Originally from Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh, Colonel Sharma is survived by his wife and 12-year-old daughter.

Officers of the Indian Army confirmed that Colonel Sharma was awarded the Sena Medal for gallantry, not once but twice, a rare feat for Army personnel deployed in the Kashmir valley. Colonel Sharma's bravery was exemplary since he was awarded the second medal for gallantry for subduing a militant who was running towards his men while concealing a grenade. It was Colonel Ashutosh Sharma who shot the militant and saved the lives of his men.