Para SF Commando Hav Jhantu Ali Shaikh Was From Remote West Bengal Village
Srinagar/Kolkata: Less than 48 hours after the gruesome terror strike in Pahalgam that left 26 tourists dead and several injured, a soldier from the Indian Army’s 6 Para SF (Special Forces) unit sacrificed his life in a gunbattle with terrorists in the Basantgarh area of Udhampur in Jammu and Kashmir.
Havildar Jhantu Ali Shaikh hailed from the Patharghata village of Krishnanagar in the Nadia district of West Bengal.
The Indian Army’s White Knight Corps on Thursday paid tribute to Havildar Shaikh.
“#GOC #WhiteKnightCorps and all ranks salute #Braveheart Hav Jhantu Ali Shaikh of 6 PARA SF, who made the supreme #sacrifice during a counter #terror #operation. His indomitable courage and the valour of his team will never be forgotten. We stand in solidarity with the bereaved family in this moment of grief,” the Corps posted on X.
Trinamool Congress MP from Krishnanagar Mahua Moitra confirmed that Shaikh belonged to Patharghata village in Krishnanagar. “God bless his brave soul,” she posted on X.
Some social media posts claimed that Shaikh’s brother is also in the Army serving in Kashmir but that could not be officially verified.
Officials said that the operation, which began on Thursday, was launched based on specific inputs about terrorist presence in the Dudu-Basantgarh area of Jammu and Kashmir’s Udhampur district.
“Contact was established, and a fierce firefight ensued,” the Army stated, adding that Havildar Shaikh sustained grievous injuries during the initial exchange of fire. Despite best medical efforts, he later succumbed to his injuries. Two other Indian Army soldiers are said to have received injuries during the encounter that is continuing.
Arrangements are being made to send Hav Shaikh’s mortal remains to his home in Pathaghata where his last rites will be performed with full military honours.
