"We Were Preoccupied With Cricket....": Anand Mahindra On Kashmir Gunbattle

Industrialist Anand Mahindra on Friday paid tribute to the four soldiers killed in action during a two-day encounter with terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir, praising their "extraordinary courage". The three soldiers and two Army officers were killed after a gunbattle in Rajouri on Wednesday.

Taking to X, formerly Twitter, Mr Mahindra urged that the soldiers must not become "another statistic" while as they "pass on quietly".

"They must not become just another statistic. It takes extraordinary courage to risk your life to keep a billion of us safe even while we remain preoccupied with cricket matches, stock markets, festivals etc. They pass on quietly but they must not pass on unnoticed & unacknowledged. We salute them. Om Shanti," he said.

Lance Naik Sanjay Bisht, Paratrooper Sachin Laur, Capt MV Pranjal, Capt Shubham Gupta and Havildar Abdul Majid were part of the gunbattle that began in the Kalakot forests of Rajouri on Wednesday morning and went on till Thursday evening. Two terrorists, including a high-ranking Pakistani sniper part of the Lashkar-e-Taib, were killed by secuirty forces in the encounter.

The Mahindra Group chairman shared a video of army officials laying wreaths during a tribute ceremony for the soldiers. The post has amassed 407,000 views as several users joined him in remembering the army men's sacrifice.

"Indeed, their sacrifices are often overlooked amidst the hustle and bustle of daily life. Their bravery and selflessness deserve our utmost respect and gratitude," one user said.

Another user said, "Salute to these brave hearts. We can't thank them enough for keeping us safe while we enjoy our matches and festivals."