During the night of 02/03 Apr, the fence was cut in the Area of Responsibility (AOR) of 8 Jat, who had detected it in the early morning of 03 Apr. The Formation was informed which soon launched the operation to track the terrorists and from the footprints, it was estimated to be a group of 5 to 6. Other units in the vicinity were also mobilised and columns of 41 and 57 RR were pressed to establish a tight noose on possible escape routes.
Based on visuals from the UAV, two squads of 4 Para (SF) was brought in. Dropped by ALH on the upper reaches to comb the area from top down. After establishing several detachments and putting the area under surveillance using quadcopter certain hot spots indicating possible location of the terrorists was identified. One such possible location was along a nullah while the 4 Para (SF) squad swept top down.
They launched like every other time......communication check, equipment check, weapon check, medical check.....but this time they never came back.
There were no last letters for just in case....no last calls to tell one more time......no recorded videos for posterity.....no last wishes on radio, when they lay bleeding with their guts spilled but still fighting. But they never came back.
They launched like ghosts in the dark, fought like warriors in the solitary night but only came back silently, draped in the tricolour.
The rotors whirred.....the drop made in the green glow.....the arduous 4 hour journey began.....
* * *
The buddies advanced nonchalantly......fearlessly.........confidently.......with purpose. The squad moved as one.UAV had spotted a track of 5. Tracks were seen in the snow going along in a nullah. The two squads were launched to track the ghosts. hours later, the squads were confident that the target was near.
The squads separated along the two shoulders to box the location. Night was dark and the access slanting and steep, but that is why the specialists were there. It is what they do, that is what they are specialised in.
And then the tragedy unfolded. Along the cliff, on the shoulder which the right squad was moving - the complete snow block collapsed, taking the squad leader and the two scouts down all the way to the nullah....
All three fell straight down to what emerged later to be within 2 mts from the hiding 5.
The area was lit up...the three were taking fire.....the squad was under intense engagement.
The remaining two of the squad went ballistic.....self preservation mode was off.......they jumped and ran into the fusillade for a fighting extraction......
The 4 terrorists got an opportunity to pump a few magazines out before they got the tap for eternal silence. The fifth ran to meet his end with the stops. All 5 lay dead.
But the whole squad paid the price. 5 gallant men are down.
They launched....but never returned.
RIP Subedar Sanjeev Kumar, Havildar Davendra Singh, Paratroopers Bal Krishan, Amit Kumar and Chhatrapal Singh. The country salutes you. My salutes, tears and prayers. Here's wishing that your near and dear ones muster sufficient strength to tide over these stressful times.
Tailpiece.
Was up a trifle late, the chores and was ready well in time. By the time Suma had finished her work, it was a half past 5 in the evening.
Based on visuals from the UAV, two squads of 4 Para (SF) was brought in. Dropped by ALH on the upper reaches to comb the area from top down. After establishing several detachments and putting the area under surveillance using quadcopter certain hot spots indicating possible location of the terrorists was identified. One such possible location was along a nullah while the 4 Para (SF) squad swept top down.
They launched like every other time......communication check, equipment check, weapon check, medical check.....but this time they never came back.
There were no last letters for just in case....no last calls to tell one more time......no recorded videos for posterity.....no last wishes on radio, when they lay bleeding with their guts spilled but still fighting. But they never came back.
They launched like ghosts in the dark, fought like warriors in the solitary night but only came back silently, draped in the tricolour.
The rotors whirred.....the drop made in the green glow.....the arduous 4 hour journey began.....
* * *
The buddies advanced nonchalantly......fearlessly.........confidently.......with purpose. The squad moved as one.UAV had spotted a track of 5. Tracks were seen in the snow going along in a nullah. The two squads were launched to track the ghosts. hours later, the squads were confident that the target was near.
The squads separated along the two shoulders to box the location. Night was dark and the access slanting and steep, but that is why the specialists were there. It is what they do, that is what they are specialised in.
And then the tragedy unfolded. Along the cliff, on the shoulder which the right squad was moving - the complete snow block collapsed, taking the squad leader and the two scouts down all the way to the nullah....
All three fell straight down to what emerged later to be within 2 mts from the hiding 5.
The area was lit up...the three were taking fire.....the squad was under intense engagement.
The remaining two of the squad went ballistic.....self preservation mode was off.......they jumped and ran into the fusillade for a fighting extraction......
The 4 terrorists got an opportunity to pump a few magazines out before they got the tap for eternal silence. The fifth ran to meet his end with the stops. All 5 lay dead.
But the whole squad paid the price. 5 gallant men are down.
They launched....but never returned.
RIP Subedar Sanjeev Kumar, Havildar Davendra Singh, Paratroopers Bal Krishan, Amit Kumar and Chhatrapal Singh. The country salutes you. My salutes, tears and prayers. Here's wishing that your near and dear ones muster sufficient strength to tide over these stressful times.
Tailpiece.
Was up a trifle late, the chores and was ready well in time. By the time Suma had finished her work, it was a half past 5 in the evening.
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