Col Sharma, martyred in the Handwara encounter, was awarded medals twice for his gallantry

Colonel Ashutosh Sharma, the commanding officer (CO) of 21-Rashtriya Rifles, who was martyred along with Major Anuj, two soldiers and a J&K police inspector while fighting militants in Kashmir’s Handwara, had been decorated twice for bravery.

Read: Colonel, Major, two soldiers and police officer killed in terrorist encounter in Kashmir’s Handwara

Col Sharma had been part of several successful counter-insurgency operations in Kashmir in the past. Army officials said he served in Kashmir for a long time and was twice awarded Sena Medal for gallantry, including one for his bravery as CO.

He received the gallantry award as a CO when he shot a militant-- who was rushing towards his men on a road with a grenade hidden in his clothes-- at close range. On Saturday night as well Col Sharma didn’t care for his own life and entered the house to evacuate the trapped civilians after the firing had stopped for an hour.

Col Sharma is the first CO or a colonel rank officer in the last five years to have lost life in an encounter with militants.

On 27 January 2005, Col MN Rai lost his life while fighting with militants in Kashmir’s Pulwama district just a day after being awarded Yudh Seva Medal.

Same year in November, Colonel Santosh Mahadik – the CO of 41 Rashtriya Rifles - laid down his life battling militants near Line of Control (LoC) in north Kashmir's Kupwara district.