Gunner Rishi Kumar in a hospital. Tribune Photo

Tribune News Service

Panzgam (Kupwara), April 27Gunner Rishi Kumar of the Field Artillery Regiment will stand out in the Army history for single-handedly killing two fidayeens in the frontier district of Kupwara this morning.Gunner Rishi Kumar was on sentry duty at the garrison surrounded by thick forests when the gunfight started in the wee hours.Srinagar-based defence spokesman said that when Kumar observed the militants approach, he waited for them to come within range.“He then engaged them and was hit on his head but was saved by bulletproof patka. However, the impact of the bullet caused him to fall. He immediately recovered and fired back, killing the two terrorists,” the spokesman said.The spokesman said that after running out of ammunition, he moved out of his bunker and tried to pick up the weapon of the slain militants to engage their third accomplice.“The third terrorist fired and injured him, thus managing to escape,” he said.The soldier is from Ara in Bihar and has eight years of service.“During the attack, Rishi showed the indomitable spirit of a soldier,” the spokesperson said.Meanwhile, the Army said Captain Ayush Yadav, 26, a resident of Jalmau in Kanpur, was killed when he took the militants head on when they were trying to enter the living area.

CM pays tributes to slain soldiers

Tribune News Service

Jammu, April 27

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti paid tributes to the officer and the two jawans of the Army who were killed in an encounter early morning today in Kupwara.The Chief Minister extended her heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families of the slain soldiers. She also expressed anguish over the death of a person in protests during the day in the area.In a statement, Mehbooba Mufti said an unending cycle of violence had got unleashed in society which was devouring it and pushing Kashmir towards darkness.She appealed people to come forward in bringing this cycle of violence to an end and help the government in its efforts of restoring normalcy and peace in the Valley.