Thousands of people lined up in Dhonchak village in Haryana’s Panipat to pay their final respects to Major Ashish Dhonchak, who was killed in action in an encounter with terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag district. Major Dhonchak was cremated with full state honours in his native Binjaul village and given a guard of honour by Rashtriya Rifle jawans.

As the body of Major Dhonchak, draped in the Indian flag, was being taken for his final rites, tears rolled down the faces of men and women who had gathered in his village to catch a glimpse of the country’s fallen hero. People shouted slogans of “Bharat Mata ki Jai” and “Vande Mataram”.

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#WATCH | People in large numbers pay last respects to Major Aashish Dhonchak in Panipat’s Binjhol.

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He had lost his life while fighting terrorists in Anantnag, J&K pic.twitter.com/XDHRZWs9yL

— ANI (@ANI) September 15, 2023

Earlier in the day, the mortal remains of Major Dhonchak had reached his home in Panipat and were taken to his ancestral village nearby. The family members were inconsolable as the body reached their home. His father was seen breaking down and hugging his cousin, who is also a Major in the Indian Army.

Major Dhonchak’s mother told reporters that she had not shed a single tear because her son had died protecting the motherland. The 36-year-old officer leaves behind a wife and a 2.5-year-old daughter. He was the only son of his parents and had three sisters. Ashish had plans to shift to a new home in October, when he would have returned home from his deployment.

Three officials of the Indian Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police – Major Ashish Dhonchak, Colonel Manpreet Singh, and DSP Humayun Bhat – were killed in action in South Kashmir’s Anantnag on September 13.

The mortal remains of Colonel Manpreet Singh also reached Panipat and were taken to his home in Mohali, where his wailing family members were seen waiting. People have started gathering outside his home in large numbers and the last rites are likely to take place later today.

Meanwhile, another soldier has succumbed to his injuries, taking the toll of killed soldiers to four. He was among the two soldiers who were injured on Thursday evening. So far, there has been no update on whether the terrorists have been neutralized. The encounter that began on the intervening night of September 12-13 is still ongoing.