Although Major Ketan Sharma's first posting was in Pune, two years ago he was transferred to Kashmir’s Anantnag as a part of the counter-insurgency operations group of the 19 Rashtriya Rifles.
New Delhi: On Monday, Major Ketan Sharma was killed and three other jawans were injured in an encounter with terrorists in Anantnag's Achabal area. A terrorist was also neutralised.
The injured were rushed to the 92 base hospital of the Army in Srinagar, the officials said.
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They added that an unidentified militant was also killed in the gunfight and his body recovered. Arms and ammunition were seized from the encounter site, the officials said. The identity and group affiliation of the slain militant was being ascertained, they added.
Major Sharma was born October 4, 1987 and joined the Indian Army’s Sikh Light Infantry as lieutenant in 2012 after finishing training in the Indian military academy in Dehradun.
Although his first posting was in Pune, two years ago he was transferred to Kashmir’s Anantnag as a part of the counter insurgency operations group of the 19 Rashtriya Rifles.
Major Sharma’s mortal remains were brought to the national capital at 12 PM on June 18 and will be taken to his residence in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, where the last rites will be performed with all military honours.
Uttar Pradesh chief minister, Yogi Adityanath, expressed his condolences and announced that Rs 25 lakh will be given to the family as ex-gratia. He also said that a job will be given for a member of Major Sharma’s family.
मुख्यमंत्री श्री जी ने शहीद केतन शर्मा के परिजनों को ₹25 लाख की आर्थिक सहायता व उनकी स्मृति में उनके गृह जनपद में सड़क निर्माण के साथ ही परिवार के एक सदस्य को सरकारी नौकरी दिए जाने की घोषणा की है।
— CM Office, GoUP (@CMOfficeUP)A road in Meerut will also be named after him, the chief minister said.
Defence minister Rajnath Singh, and Army chief general Bipin Rawat paid their respects to Major Ketan Sharma.
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