Army chief pays tribute to soldiers killed in Shopian

Army chief General Bipin Rawat today paid tribute to the three soldiers killed in a militant attack on their convoy in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir.

"General Rawat arrived here this morning and paid tribute to the Shopian martyrs at Badamibagh cantonment here," an army official said. The army chief laid floral wreaths on the coffins carrying the mortal remains of the three soldiers, one of whom hailed from Marhama area of Anantnag district.

Rawat is scheduled to visit the headquarters of counter-insurgency Kilo Force and Victor Force where he will be briefed about the state of operations in Kashmir Valley. "The army chief will also review the overall security situation prevailing in the valley hinterland and along the Line of Control," he said.

Militants of the pro-Pakistan Hizbul Mujahideen terror group had ambushed an army convoy, killing three personnel and wounding five others, including two officers, in South Kashmir's Shopian district yesterday. A civilian caught in crossfire was also killed.

The three soldiers were Lance Naik Ghulam Mohiuddin Rather, hailing from Bijbehara in South Kashmir, Sapper Sreejith M J, a resident of Palakkad in Kerala, and Sepoy Vikas Singh Gurjar of Rajasthan.