CO, Major among 5 security men killed in J&K

Strap: Biggest loss for forces since Pulwama; Civilians rescued, 2 ultras eliminated in Handwara gunfight

Majid Jahangir

Tribune News Service

Handwara, May 5

Security forces today took the biggest hit since the 2019 Pulwama bombing when five personnel, including a decorated Commanding Officer of Army’s elite counter-insurgency unit, a Major and a J&K police officer, were killed in a gunfight at a village in north Kashmir’s Handwara. Two militants, including a Pakistan national, were also killed.

A five-member team led by Colonel Ashutosh Sharma, commanding 21 Rashtriya Rifles, had entered a house occupied by militants to evacuate civilians at Chanjimullah village on Saturday afternoon, said the Army.

“The team successfully extricated the civilians. However, in the process, the team was subjected to heavy volume of fire by the terrorists. In the ensuing fire fight, two terrorists were eliminated and the team, comprising two Army officers, two Army soldiers and a J-K Police Sub-Inspector, attained martyrdom,” an Army statement said.

The slain personnel were identified as 45-year-old Col Ashutosh Sharma of Jaipur, Major Anuj Sood of Pune, Naik Rajesh Kumar of Mansa, Lance Naik Dinesh Singh of Almora and S-I Sageer Ahmad Pathan of Kupwara.

The operation started on Friday afternoon when the Army intercepted a group of militants at Waderbala, part of the dense Rajwar forests used by militants for infiltration. After a brief exchange of fire, the militants escaped. Security forces combed the area and widened the search operation. On Saturday, a fresh contact with a smaller group was established at Chanjmulla village. The Army initially suspected the presence of four militants.

“The security forces had input that militants were hiding in a cowshed. When a joint team entered a nearby house, the militants shifted base and opened heavy fire inside the house,” said sources. Security forces then lost contact with the team. An officer’s mobile phone was picked up by a militant and he answered a few calls, they said.

As the security forces couldn’t establish contact with the team for several hours, Special Forces were called in. Around midnight, the bodies of the five security men were spotted inside the house using drones.

The operation was intensified and around 2.30 am, the two militants were killed. One of the militants was identified as Haider, linked to Lashkar-e-Toiba in Kashmir for the past few years. At daybreak, the security forces entered the house and recovered the bodies of the five security men.

Boxes

Last setback for Army in 2015

* The last time a Commanding Officer (Col Santosh Mahadik) of Army’s counter-insurgency unit was killed was in November 2015 during an operation along LoC in Kupwara

* This is the second time in 20 years that 21 RR has lost its Commanding Officer. In 2000, Col RS Chauhan of 21 RR and Brig SS Shergil were killed in an IED blast

Police lose decorated cop

S-I Sageer Ahmad Pathan, aka Qazi, had joined J&K Police’s Armed Wing as constable in 1999. In 2006, he volunteered for police’s Special Operation Group (SOG), an elite counter-insurgency unit. Pathan was part of various anti-terror ops and was granted three out-of-turn promotions. He was also a recipient of several gallantry medals.

Caption:

Col Ashutosh Sharma (Jaipur)

Maj Anuj Sood (Pune)

NK Rajesh Kumar (Mansa)

L/NK Dinesh Singh (Almora)

SI Sageer Ahmad Pathan (Kupwara)