New Delhi: Indian cricket team’s captain Virat Kohli paid tribute to the security personnel who were martyred in an encounter with terrorists. The India skipper said their sacrifices must not be forgotten.

Five security personnel were killed in an encounter with terrorists in Handwara area of Kupwara district in north Kashmir on Sunday (May 3).

Also read: Defence minister Rajnath Singh pays tribute to martyrs

In the 12-hour anti-terrorist operation that began on Saturday night (May 3) an Army Colonel, a Major, two soldiers and a Jammu and Kashmir’s police sub-inspector were killed. Two terrorists were eliminated. Colonel Ashutosh Sharma, Major Anuj Sood, Naik Rajesh Kumar, Lance Naik Dinesh and police officer Shakeel Ahmad Qazi were martyred.

Kohli too took to his Twitter account to pay his tributes. He said “I bow my head to the Army personnel and the policemen”. He also added that their sacrifices must not be forgotten.

“Those who don't forget their duty in any circumstances are true heroes. Their sacrifices must not be forgotten. I bow my head to the army personnel & the policemen who lost their lives at Handwara and sincerely send my condolences to their families and wish them peace Jai Hind (sic),” Kohli wrote on Sunday night.

On its Twitter account Jammu and Kashmir Police paid heartfelt tribute to the martyrs. It wrote, “J&K Police pays heartfelt tribute to martyrs Col Ashutosh Sharma,CO 21 RR,Major Anuj,Sub Insp.Sageer Ahmad Qazi,L.Naik Dinesh,Naik Rajesh for supreme sacrifices in line of duty in encounter with terrorists at Chanjmulla, Handwara.Nation will remember you heroes for times to come (sic).”

“One of the slain terrorists is identified as Haider,a Pak National working in Lashkar e Toiba in Kashmir for the past couple of years , and the identity of the other terrorist is being ascertained,” Jammu and Kashmir Police added.