Arun Jasrotia,
Jammu, (DD):The Indian Army, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Border Security Force (BSF), and Jammu and Kashmir Police today paid rich tributes to Havaldar Jhantu Ali Sheikh, who was martyred during a counter-terror operation in the Dudu-Basantgarh area of Udhampur district.
Havaldar Sheikh, a courageous and committed soldier of the elite 6 Para (Special Forces), made the supreme sacrifice during a fierce firefight that broke out on Thursday after contact was established with militants during a search operation in the Birli Gali forested belt.
A solemn wreath-laying ceremony was held at the 166 Military Hospital in Jammu, where senior officers from all security forces paid homage to the fallen hero. Major General Shailender Singh, Chief of Staff, White Knight Corps, was the first to lay a wreath, saluting Havaldar Sheikh’s unwavering bravery and devotion to the nation.
Following the ceremony, the martyr’s mortal remains were sent to his native village, Pathar Ghata in West Bengal’s Nadia district, where he will be laid to rest with full military honours.
In a statement posted on X, the White Knight Corps said:
“Based on specific intelligence, a joint operation was launched with Jammu and Kashmir Police in Birli Gali, Dudu-Basantgarh, Udhampur. Contact was established, and a fierce firefight ensued. One of our bravehearts sustained grievous injuries in the initial exchange and later succumbed despite the best medical efforts.”
Havaldar Sheikh’s selfless service and valour will forever be remembered by the armed forces and the people he protected.(DD)