Kashmir Encounter: Nation Mourns As Fallen Hero Major Aashish Dhonchak Returns Home

In a heart-wrenching turn of events, the mortal remains of Major Aashish Dhonchak , a brave officer who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty during an encounter with terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag, were brought to his hometown of Panipat on a somber Friday.

The nation mourns the loss of this gallant soldier, and the heart-rending visuals of soldiers bearing his coffin home have reverberated across social media platforms.

Major Dhonchak, a doting father to a two-and-a-half-year-old daughter and a brother to three sisters, had only returned home on leave two short months ago. His heroic journey was cut short by enemy fire during the fierce firefight in the Kokernag area of Anantnag district on that fateful Wednesday. The news of his demise cast a pall of grief over his native village, with locals gathering in numbers outside his residence to pay their last respects.

The encounter, which claimed the lives of Major Dhonchak and two other brave souls, Colonel Manpreet Singh , commanding the Quick Response Team of the Rashtriya Rifles , and Deputy Superintendent of Jammu and Kashmir police, Humayun Bhat , unfolded on Wednesday.

DSP Bhat's final rites were performed in Budgam the same evening. Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha , expressed deep sorrow over the loss of these valiant officers and paid his tributes to the fallen DSP in Budgam.

Simultaneously, in a separate encounter, security forces successfully neutralized two terrorists in the Narla area of Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri. During the operation, security personnel recovered a cache of warlike stores, including medicines with Pakistan markings.

The encounter, which spanned over into Wednesday evening, showcased the relentless determination of the security forces in the face of adversity. The joint efforts of the Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police continue as they resume their operation in the Kokernag area of Anantnag district.