Tributes paid to army officer killed in Kashmir gunfight

New Delhi, Jan 29 (IANS) Floral tributes were paid here on Thursday to Colonel M.N. Rai who was killed in a gunbattle with guerrillas in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Tuesday.

Officers and family members paid their last respects and laid wreaths on the martyred officer’s body at a cremation ground in the Delhi Cantt area.

Colonel Rai, 39, had been awarded the Yudh Seva Medal for gallantry in this year’s Republic Day.

He is survived by his wife, two daughters and a five-year old son.

Head Constable Sanjeevan Singh of the Jammu and Kashmir Police also died in Tuesday’s gunfight in which two guerrillas of Hizbul Mujahideen outfit were killed.