Tribune News Service

Srinagar, April 25

The Army on Wednesday paid tributes to Sepoy Ajay Kumar, who was killed during a counter-insurgency operation on Tuesday in south Kashmir’s Tral sub-district.“In a solemn ceremony at BB Cantt, Lt Gen AK Bhatt, Chinar Corps Commander, paid homage to the martyr on behalf of the country,” the Army said in a statement. “In a show of solidarity, representatives from other security agencies also joined in to pay their last respects to the martyr,” it said.Kumar had sustained a bullet injury during the fierce gunfight in the Laam forest in Tral and succumbed to injuries at the 92 Base Hospital here.The slain soldier was 25 years old and had joined the Army in 2013. He belonged to Panjola village of Sirmaur district in Himachal Pradesh and is survived by his parents and a brother.Four militants affiliated with the Jaish-e-Mohammad and a policeman were also killed in the gun battle on Tuesday.