Army Officers, J&K Lt Governor Pay Tributes To Soldiers Killed In Action

Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Army's XV Corps Commander Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai on Thursday paid homage to Colonel Manpreet Singh and Major Ashish Dhonchak who were killed in action in an encounter with terrorists in Anantnag district.

Mr Sinha, Lt Gen Ghai and Army officers laid wreaths on the coffins carrying the mortal remains of the two officers at the Badamibagh cantonment.

"Paid homage to brave sons of Maa Bharti, Col Manpreet Singh and Major Aashish Dhonchak, who made the supreme sacrifice in an anti-terror operation in Anantnag. My deepest condolences to their families. The grateful nation will forever remain indebted to the bravehearts," Mr Sinha later posted on X.

The bodies will later be flown to their hometowns. Colonel Singh hailed from Mohali in Punjab and Major Dhonchak from Panipat in Haryana. Their last rites will take place on Friday, officials said.

Four security forces personnel -- Colonel Singh, Commanding Officer of the 19 Rashtriya Rifles; Major Dhonchak, Deputy Superintendent of Police Humayun Bhat and a soldier -- were killed in action in the encounter with terrorists in the Gadole forests of Kokernag in Anantnag district on Wednesday morning.

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