Emotional scenes as mortal remains of Major Ashish Dhonchak reach Panipat

Chandigarh: The mortal remains of Major Ashish Dhonchak, who was killed in a gunfight with terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag, reached Haryana's Panipat where the last rites will be conducted on Friday.

The mortal remains of Colonel Manpreet Singh, who was also killed in the gunfight, have been brought here and are expected to reach his home in Mullanpur in Mohali district shortly, sources said.

Major Dhonchak had planned to shift to a new house in Panipat in October. The family had been living in a rented accommodation. The Major's mortal remains reached his Panipat home in an Army vehicle.

Scores of people turned up on Friday at the residence of Dhonchak.

His family members were inconsolable as the body reached at his Panipat home.

The body was being taken to the cremation ground in an army vehicle and the last rights will be conducted shortly.

At Colonel Manpreet Singh's house in Mullanpur, there was a steady stream of mourners. The families of the Army officer were inconsolable.

His wailing mother was seen waiting at the doorsteps for her son's mortal remains.

A third-generation soldier, Singh leaves behind his mother, wife, a two-year-old daughter and a six-year-old son.

Dhonchak's family includes his wife, a two-year-old daughter and three sisters.

Three Army personnel, including the colonel and the major, and a deputy superintendent of the Jammu and Kashmir Police were killed in the gunfight with terrorists in the higher reaches of the Kokorenag area in the valley.

Singh, the commanding officer of 19 Rashtriya Rifles, Dhonchak and Deputy Superintendent of Police Humayun Bhat were critically injured in the gunfight that ensued in the Garol area of Anantnag district in the morning hours of Wednesday.

The officers succumbed to injuries during treatment.