Colonel Santosh Mahadik, a 39-year-old officer of the Indian Army who died on Tuesday, was cremated with full military honours including a 21-gun salute at Pogarwadi village in Maharashtra's Satara district on Thursday. The colonel died after sustaining critical injuries during an encounter with terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara district. Defence minister Manohar Parrikar was among many politicians who attended the funeral, along with several retired Army persons and a large number of villagers.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had paid his tributes to Colonel Mahadik in Pune on Wednesday evening when his mortal remains were brought there en route to Satara. The colonel was a commanding officer of the 41 Rashtriya Rifles branch of the Army and led several strikes against militants. He was awarded a Sena Medal for gallantry during Operation Rhino in the North-East in 2003, reported PTI. Colonel Mahadik is survivied by his wife and two children, who were present during the cremation.