Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar paid tribute to Colonel Santosh Mahadik who was martyred in Kupwara in Jammu and Kashmir yesterday. In a message, Mr Parrikar said, the country is proud of its young officers like him who lead from the front and did not hesitate to sacrifice their lives to protect the nation. <br/><br/>The Commanding Officer of 41 Rashtriya Rifles Colonel Santosh Mahadik, who was leading a search party, was critically injured when militants hiding in a dense forest area of Haji Naka, opened fire. He was evacuated to a hospital but he succumbed to injuries.