Bohani (Narsinghpur), Nov 20 (NationPress) In a tragic turn of events that has enveloped an entire village in sorrow, Madhya Pradesh Police Hawk Force Inspector Ashish Kumar Sharma was laid to rest with full state honors at Bohani's Muktidham on Thursday—just two months shy of the day he was to welcome his bride.

The 32-year-old distinguished Hawk Force officer fell in action on November 19 when his team faced intense gunfire during an anti-Maoist operation in the Kauhapani forest, located along the Madhya Pradesh-Chhattisgarh border in Rajnandgaon district.

Despite sustaining four gunshot wounds, he battled valiantly until he was declared Shaheed (martyred) shortly after arriving at the hospital.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav visited Bohani in Narsinghpur to pay his respects, laying a wreath on the tricolor-draped coffin, saluting the hero, and spending time with the mourning mother, who tenderly caressed her son's face.

In a heartfelt tweet, the Chief Minister stated on his official X account, "The entire state of Madhya Pradesh stands with the family during this time of sorrow."

"The inspiring tale of his bravery and ultimate sacrifice will be forever etched in our memories and will motivate future generations."

To commemorate his legacy, CM Yadav announced plans for a park and a sports stadium to be built in the martyr's hometown, both named in his honor. Furthermore, the younger brother of one of the martyrs will be appointed as a Sub-Inspector in the Madhya Pradesh Police.

The Inspector's body was brought back to the village on Thursday morning from Balaghat, where thousands lined the streets from Jabalpur to Narsinghpur, showering flowers on the ambulance and chanting slogans like "Ashish Sharma amar rahe" and "Bharat Mata ki jai".

Ashish Sharma was not just any police officer.

He was the man who instilled fear in Maoists at the mere mention of the Hawk Force.

Joining the Madhya Pradesh Police in 2016, he volunteered for the anti-Maoist Hawk Force in February 2018, earning two gallantry medals and receiving an out-of-turn promotion from Sub-Inspector to Inspector on February 21, 2023, for eliminating two senior female Maoist commanders, Sunita and Sarita, with a combined bounty of Rs 28 lakh in the Kawal encounter.

On December 18, 2022, he took down a Maoist with a Rs 14-lakh bounty, known as Godi, in Harratol.

In February 2025, his team neutralized four Maoists in the Raunda forests of Balaghat—an operation so meticulously planned that it is now included in training modules for new Deputy Superintendents of Police (DSPs), with young officers being shown, "This is how Ashish Kumar Sharma accomplished it."

Every senior officer who served alongside Inspector Ashish Kumar Sharma attests to his bravery—he always took the most perilous positions, consistently led from the front, and wore a smile even amidst gunfire.

Instead of ceremonial music, the village heard only the last post and the sound of a three-volley salute.

On Thursday afternoon in Bohani, Ashish's mother placed an unfinished wedding turban on her son's lifeless body and kissed his forehead one final time, her inconsolable sobs affecting even the toughest policemen on guard.

Inspector Ashish Sharma is survived by his parents and a younger brother.