Akhnoor (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], April 8 (ANI): Hundreds of locals in Jammu and Kashmir's Mattur village in Akhnoor district took out a candle march on Tuesday to pay tribute to martyred police constable Jagbir Singh Chaudhary, who was killed during a Kathua anti-terrorist operation which started on March 23.

Visuals from the village showed locals carrying pictures of the slain official, carrying out the march by upholding the Indian flag, and shouting slogans to honour Jagbir Singh. The rally ended with the locals laying flowers and candle in front of Jagbir Singh's photo.

Earlier on March 29, a wave of shock and mourning engulfed the slain official's family after they got news of his martyrdom.

Several members of the village community attended the head constable's funeral and paid tribute to the soldier's sacrifice. Visuals from the village showed multiple people shouting slogans to remember the soldier's sacrifice.

The anti-terrorist operation began on March 23, when locals reported the sighting of suspected Pakistani infiltrators in Sanyal.

Security forces, including the J-K Police, Army, BSF, and CRPF, launched a search operation, leading to an initial exchange of fire.

Speaking to ANI, DGP Prabhat said, 'A couple informed of a sighting of Pakistanis in Sanyal on 23rd March evening, and immediately, a group of officers reached the spot. They had an encounter with the Pakistanis, and the latter escaped, leaving behind 4 magazines, 3 IEDs, and 2 grenades. The entire area was put to a halt by different forces - BSF, Army, and CRPF till this incident went on. This operation went on for 4 days.'

Four Jammu and Kashmir police personnel, Head Constable Jagbir Singh, Selection Grade Constable (SGCT) Balvinder Singh, SGCT Jaswant Singh, and SGCT Tariq Ahmed, lost their lives in the encounter in Kathua, while two terrorists were gunned down.

J-K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah laid a wreath and paid tribute to Head Constable Jagbir Singh on March 29 too. (ANI)