Search op still underway in Rajouri: 14RR commander
Addressing media persons at Kalakote, Brigadier Patnaik said, “On the night of November 19, a confirmed input of a top LeT commander Quari, who was active in Rajouri- Poonch area, along with one more accomplice, was received and an operation was launched
Brigadier Soumeet Patnaik, commander of 14 Sector, Rashtriya Rifles, who led Kalakote operations said that search and sanitation operations were still underway in the area and recalled how the five bravehearts of the army laid down their lives for the sake of some women and children during close combat with LeT commander Quari and his associate during the encounter.
Addressing media persons at Kalakote, Brigadier Patnaik said, “On the night of November 19, a confirmed input of a top LeT commander Quari, who was active in Rajouri- Poonch area, along with one more accomplice, was received and an operation was launched”.
On November 22, around 8.30am, input of these two terrorists was again received in the same area. Our troops commenced searching the dense forest, which had some residents (villagers) staying in nearby hutments, the commander said.
Captain Pranjal, who led a search party, faced heavy fire as he came out from his security cover to help trapped women and children flee to safety while continuing to engage the terrorists along with his team to ensure that they did not escape, according to Brigadier Patnaik.
Pakistan-based LeT commander Quari, who masterminded several attacks including the killing of 10 civilians and five army personnel, and his associate were killed in the two-day encounter which ended on Thursday afternoon.
The terrorists, while taking advantage of the thick undergrowth, large boulders and inhospitable terrain attempted to break the contact with the troops that resulted in intense fire fight.
“Our troops continuously maintained the contact with the terrorists pinning them down. The fire fight continued through the day wherein our troops while attempting to close in with the holed terrorist, sustained casualties, three of which were fatal (deaths). Heavy fire continued to be brought down on the terrorists one of whom was likely to be hit,” he said. With approaching darkness on Wednesday, additional reinforcements were built up to cordon the entire area and block all the escape routes.
“Unmanned aerial vehicles, night enabled cameras and other modern equipments were deployed to keep the area under surveillance through the night. At first light on Thursday, search operations resumed, which led to recovery of body of one terrorist,” he said.
Further operations to neutralise the second terrorist, who was attempting to break the cordon led to resumption of fire fight at 7.40am. In the ensuing operations another soldier sustained fatal gunshot injury. By 1.30pm, the second terrorist was eliminated, he added.
A large amount of weapons, ammunition and other war-like stores were recovered from slain terrorists.
“It seems they were planning to initiate terror activities to cause fear among the civil population and unrest in the area,” he added.
