CM Yogi to provide Rs 50 lakh as compensation, govt job for kin of Colonel killed in Handwara encounter

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has ordered Rs 50 lakh to be given as compensation to the next of kin of Colonel Ashutosh Sharma, the Commanding Officer of the 21 Rashtriya Rifles unit, who lost his life in the encounter in Jammu and Kashmir's Handwara, according to Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Awsh Awasthi on Sunday.

"Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed to provide Rs 50 lakh as compensation to next of kin of Colonel Ashutosh Sharma who lost his life in Handwara (J-K) encounter and government job to one of his family members," Awasthi said.

In the operation in north Kashmir on Sunday, five security personnel, including the 21 Rashtriya Rifles Commanding Officer Col Ashutosh Sharma, Major Anuj Sood, Naik Rajesh Kumar, Lance Naik Dinesh Singh and Sub Inspector Nazeer of Jammu Kashmir Police, were killed while trying to rescue hostages from terrorists.

The 21 RR team had entered the house of a civilian to prevent a hostage situation when they came under attack from the terrorists.

While the four Army personnel and the police Sub-Inspector lost their lives in the encounter, the civilians trapped in the house were safely evacuated.

( With inputs from ANI )