PM Modi pays tribute to 4 Army men, 1 J&K Police officer killed in Handwara encounter

New Delhi: Hours after the encounter at Jammu and Kashmir's Handwara on Sunday (May 3) in which five security personnel were martyred, Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered condolences to their families of the fallen soldiers and paid tributes honoring their courage.

Taking to microbloggiong site Twitter, PM Modi wrote: "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."

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. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 3, 2020

On Sunday, five security officers, four from the Indian Army — including the Commanding Officer of an unit of Indian Army's counter-insurgency force and a Major, and one officer of the Jammu and Kashmir Police were martyred in the encounter that took place in Chanjmulla area of Handwara. Two terrorists have also been killed in the encounter.

According to sources in the Army, the Army unit was trying to prevent a civilian hostage situation when the encounter ensued. They were successful in evacuating the civilians.

"A team comprising of Army officers and JK Police personnel entered the target area occupied by terrorists to evacuate the civilians. The team of Army and JK Police entered the area and successfully extricated the civilians," an Army spokesperson said.

The encounter started on Saturday (May 2) after the security forces succeeded in trapping the terrorists inside the house located in the forest of Handwara.

Colonel Ashutosh Sharma, Commanding Officer of 21 RRR, Major Anuj Sood, Naik Rajesh Kumar and Lance Naik Dinesh Singh and sub-inspector of Jammu-Kashmir police Shakeel Qazi were martyred in the encounter.