Army officer killed in J&K cremated with military honours

Major Satish Dahiya, who died while fighting terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir, was cremated with full military honours on Wednesday evening in Banhari village near Narnaul in Haryana, some 375 km from here.

Major Dahiya, 31, led the army operation in Handwara town of the Valley on Tuesday, in which three terrorists were killed.

The late officer, who was deployed in 30 Rashtriya Rifles, belonged to Banhari village of Mahendragarh district, and had joined the services in 2009.

Hundreds of people from Mahendragarh district started reaching Banhari on Wednesday afternoon to pay respects to the departed soul.

Major Dahiya is survived by his wife Sujata Devi and daughter Priya, aged two-and-a-half years.

Dahiya had been part of several counter-terrorism operations and was also awarded for gallantry earlier.

"The operation dealt a major blow to the terror network in north Kashmir," a Defence Ministry statement said.

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said Major Dahiya exhibited extraordinary courage and sacrificed his life for the country.

Congress MP Deepender Hooda also attended the cremation.

The Indian Army on Wednesday paid homage to the four soldiers killed in operations against militants in the Kashmir Valley on Tuesday.

Commander of the Chinar Corps, Lieutenant General J.S. Sandhu, paid tributes to Major Satish Dahiya, Rifleman Ravi Kumar, Paratrooper Dharmender Kumar and Gunner Astosh Kumar at a solemn ceremony in Badamibagh Cantonment in Srinagar.

--IANS

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