Final Farewell to Sopore Heroes

Captain Devinder Singh Jass and Paratropeer Imtiyaz Ahmad Thokar laid down their lives to defend the nation. Their family and friends were engulfed with mixed emotions of pride and grief as they bid adieu to the valiant heroes.

Parents of Captain Devinder Singh Jass are proud of the 26-year-old Army officer who was killed in a fierce encounter with Lashkar terrorists in Sopore on Tuesday.

Just two days before he died, he had shot down five militants in Sopore.

Captain Singh chose to enlist in the Army in December 2007, instead of a cushy career in the corporate world. (NDTV Photo)

"I heard that a terrorist had escaped from Police custody in Sopore. I told him to be careful. He replied saying it was a game of cat and mouse. Sometimes they get a chance and escape. Sometimes we get the chance and catch them.", were the words of a proud father, as he received the coffin of his son. (NDTV Photo)

In the words of a friend, Prakash Bhatt....."He used to tell me, I just want to be in combat like the Band of Brothers. It is so exciting, nothing can make you more proud than living and dying for your country and your countrymen and he did the same. Lived and martyred for his country and countrymen. He lived a life in real which we can just imagine." (NDTV Photo)

Terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir virtually trapped an elite special forces team and whisked away an Army Captain before killing him in Sopore on Tuesday.

In an encounter that ended after nearly 15 hours of fierce gunbattle, two Army jawans and five terrorists were also killed.(NDTV Photo)

Apart from Captain Devinder Singh Jass, the other Armymen killed were Naik Selva Kumar and Paratrooper Imtiyaz Ahmad Thokar of 1 PARA.

In this picture, Paratrooper Imtiyaz Ahmad Thokar.

Paratrooper Imtiyaz belonged to the Shupiyan district of Kashmir.(NDTV Photo)

Amidst mixed emotions of grief and pride, Imtiaz's family and friends bid farewell to their hero. Imtiaz's farewell was marked with a gun salute given by his fellow army men.

Paying his last respects to Shupian's hero, an army personnel lays a wreath over Imitiaz's body.(NDTV Photo)

The gun battle began at about 5:30 am on Tuesday. The police and the Army learnt about the militants hiding in a house and launched a joint operation.

The militants, however, were well-prepared for an assault.

The Army Captain led his team close to the house, only to be met by a rain of grenades. A jawan was killed and several troops were injured and the Captain was overpowered by militants and taken away into the house. (NDTV Photo)

The Army Captain led his team close to the house, only to be met by a rain of grenades. A jawan was killed, several troops were injured and the Captain was overpowered by militants and taken away into the house.

Reacting to the incident, Home Minister P Chidambaram said, "This enemy is no different from the Al-Qaida. This is HuJI."