“Salute to the valor and martyrdom of the brave sons of India who sacrificed their lives while protecting the nation in Handwara of Jammu and Kashmir. This supreme sacrifice is unforgettable. The country is proud of you,” CM Yogi tweeted.

The Chief Minister Office (CMO) in a tweet on Monday (Many 4) informed that CM Adityanath has announced financial support of Rs 50 lakh to the family of fallen soldier, Colonel Ashutosh Sharma, resident of village Parwana of Bulandshahr and a government job to 1 family members. “A ‘Gaurav Diwar’ will also be constructed in his native village in memory of Colonel Ashutosh,” CMO tweeted.

He is also the first Commanding Officer or a Colonel-rank Army person in the last five years to have lost his life in an encounter with terrorists. Colonel MN Rai of 42 RR lost his life in an anti-terror operation over five years ago in January 2015 in Pulwama district. Colonel Santosh Mahadik of 41 RR lost his life in November 2015 in Kupwara.

He is survived by his wife and 12-year-old daughter

Colonel Ashutosh Sharma belonged to the Brigade of the Guards Regiment and had been serving in the Kashmir valley for a long time. He had received his gallantry award as a commanding officer when a terrorist came rushing towards his personnel on a road with a grenade hidden inside his clothes.

Sharma shot him at a close range which helped in saving the lives of many of his troops along with Jammu and Kashmir Police personnel, an Army officials told ANI.

On Saturday (May 2), five army persons lost their lives during a gunbattle with terrorists that took place in a remote location in Handwara. Major Anuj Sood, Naik Rakesh Kumar, Lance Naik Dinesh Singh and a rifleman and sub-inspector Shakeel Qazi of Jammu and Kashmir Police were among those who were killed during a firefight with terrorists.