The family members of Army officers who lost their lives in a gunfight with terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag on Wednesday mourned their loss and saluted them for their valour and courage. Brother-in-law of Colonel Manpreet Singh Virender Gill said that Singh was a good man, and he was awarded the Sena Medal for his duty last year.
 
"We last spoke to him at 6:45 a.m. He said he would speak later. He was a good man. Last year, he was awarded the Sena Medal for his duty. I salute him," Gill told ANI.






The father-in-law of Colonel Manpreet Singh Jagdev Singh said that the family got the news of his demise last evening and that the body will reach Mohali between 4-5 pm in the evening. "We got to know it last evening...She is their daughter and she has an elder brother...He (Manpreet Singh) was awarded with Sena Medal a year ago. As per the reports, the body will reach Mohali between 4-5 pm in the evening," Singh told ANI.






The uncle of Major Ashish Dhonack said, "He had come home 1.5 months ago and was supposed to come again in October".






Senior Army Officers, Cop Killed In Gunfight With Terrorists In Anantnag


Two senior officers of the Army and a senior cop of the J&K Police were killed in a gunfight in Anantnag on Wednesday. Jammu and Kashmir officials said a colonel and a major of the Indian Army and a deputy superintendent of the J&K Police were killed in the gunfight, according to the news agency PTI.


According to some media reports, one of the martyrs was identified as Colonel Manpreet Singh of the 19 Rashtriya Rifle of the Indian Army. The others were identified as Major Aashish Dhonchak and Deputy Superintendent of Police Himanyun Muzamil Bhat.


The gunfight ensued when the security forces launched a counter-terrorism operation in the Gadole area of Kokernag Tehsil in Anantnag district, where terrorists were hiding, on Wednesday morning, reported PTI, quoting a police officer.


The Resistance Front, a shadow group of Lashkar-e-Taiba, has claimed responsibility for the attack.


The Army officers were leading the troops from the front after they went to search for terrorists in the area based on specific intelligence, Indian Army officials were quoted as saying by news agency ANI.