Sunjuwan attack: Tributes paid to slain Army personnel in Jammu

A group of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorists struck the residential quarter inside the Army camp at Sunjuwan here on Saturday, killing seven people — six soldiers, including two junior commissioned officers (JCOs) and father of one of the slain soldiers — and injuring 10 others. Three heavily-armed JeM terrorists were killed in the retaliatory action by the Army.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday morning led the wreath-laying ceremony organised to pay tributes to four of the six soldiers who were killed in the attack. Later in the day, Army bid adieu to another soldier whose body was recovered Monday late night from the encounter site, reports PTI.

Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh, ministers Abdul Haq Khan and Choudhary Zulfkar, state BJP president and MLA Sat Sharma, among others, were present in the ceremony. Senior Army and police officials including General Officer Commanding of Rising Star Corps Lt. Gen Y V K Mohan also laid wreaths on the bodies of the Army men, the spokesperson said.

JCO Madan Lal Choudhary (50) of Kathua was cremated with full military honours at his village yesterday, while the body of Havaldar Rakesh Chandra of Pauri Garhwal district in Uttarakhand was recovered from the scene of the gunfight last night. Later, the chief minister interacted with the family members of the slain Army personnel and consoled them, the spokesperson said.

A wreath laying ceremony was held separately for Havaldar Chandra at the technical airport. Senior Army officers led by Lt. Gen Mohan and General Officer Commanding of Tiger Division Maj Gen Sanjay Singh paid rich tributes to the slain soldier. Bodies of all the five soldiers were flown to their home towns after the wreath-laying ceremonies, the spokesman said.