Bow to Handwara soldiers martyred while protecting motherland from terrorists: Amit Shah

New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday (May 3) offered his condolence on the martyrdom of five security personnel, including decorated army colonel Ashutosh Sharma, in a firefight with terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Handwara yesterday.

Paying tributes to martyrs, Shah tweeted, "I bow to our soldiers and security personnel martyred while protecting our motherland during an encounter with terrorists in Handwara in J&K. Nation will always remain indebted to their supreme sacrifice. My deepest condolences to their bereaved families."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister and several Congress leaders also offered their condolences to the soldiers who laid their lives while battling with terrorists in Handwara on May 2.

"Tributes to our courageous soldiers and security personnel martyred in Handwara. Their valour and sacrifice will never be forgotten. They served the nation with utmost dedication and worked tirelessly to protect our citizens. Condolences to their families and friends," Modi tweeted.

"The loss of our soldiers and security personnel in Handwara (J&K) is deeply disturbing and painful. They showed exemplary courage in their fight against terrorists and made supreme sacrifice while serving the country. We will never forget their bravery and sacrifice," Rajnath tweeted. "My heart goes out to the families who lost their loved ones today. India stands shoulder to shoulder with the families of these brave martyrs," the Minister tweeted.

Saluting the personnel, Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat said operations in Handwara highlighted determination of security forces to safeguard the lives of the people. The armed forces, he said, were proud of their courage as they eliminated terrorists. "We salute these brave personnel and express our deep-felt condolences for the bereaved families," he said.

In a statement, the Indian Army said based on the intelligence input that terrorists were taking hostage civilians of a house at Changimulla in Handwara of the Kupwara district, a joint operation was launched by the army and the J&K Police.

On May 2, five security personnel of Indian Army were killed in an encounter with terrorists at a village in north Kashmir's Handwara area.

Giving details, the Army said based on the intelligence input that terrorists were taking hostage some civilians in a house in Changimulla at Handwara of Kupwara district, a joint operation was launched by the Army and the Jammu and Kashmir Police. A team comprising of five Army and police personnel entered the target area occupied by the terrorists to evacuate the civilians and successfully extricated them, it said.

During the process, the team was subjected to heavy fire by terrorists. "In the fire-fight two terrorists were eliminated and the team of five army and J&K personnel, comprising two officers, two soldiers and one J&K Police sub-inspector, attained martyrdom," the army said.