Colonel & Major Among 5 Martyred In J&K Encounter

The firefight that lasted almost 8 hours also leaves LeT commander and his aide dead

- Manjeet Singh Negi in Srinagar & Abhishek Bhalla

The Indian army has gunned down a Lashkar-e-Taiba commander in an intense encounter that took place in Handwara town in Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara district. According to news agency PTI, one Colonel, one major, two Army jawans and a police sub-inspector were killed in this encounter with militants.

Among those killed in the line of duty is the Commanding Officer of 21 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) unit, Colonel Ashutosh Sharma. He had been part of several successful counter-terrorism operations in the past. Colonel Sharma was the only commanding officer to have been decorated for gallantry a second time in Kashmir, officials told India Today. He had received gallantry as a CO when he had saved the lives of his men by subduing a militant running towards them with a concealed grenade.

Other security personnel who were killed in Handwara on Sunday have been identified as Major Anuj Sood, Naik Rajesh and Lance Naik Dinesh.