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Kargil Vijay Diwas 2023: 24 Years On War Veteran Recalls Tiger Hill And Tololing’s Capture

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24 years and the memories of the Kargil War are still fresh for the then Commanding Officer (CO) Brig Kushal Thakur (retd) of the 18 Grenadiers battalion that captured Tiger Hill and Tololing during the war. “I am filled with nostalgia and pride to think of all courageous men who fought with the utmost sincerity and patriotism to bring glory not only to themselves but also to their platoons.”

Now retired, the officer recounts the exceptional grit and courage of 18 Grenadiers that pushed back the enemy from the highest peak in the Dras sector and unfurled the Tricolour on the mountaintop of July 4, 1999.

“During the war, 18 Grenadiers were assigned the task of recapturing two prominent peaks of Tololing and Tiger Hill in the Dras sector. We had already captured Tololing on June 13-14, but the latter was a tough task,” recalls the officer, who was awarded the Yudh Seva Medal.

An extraordinary operation 

Tiger Hill was a majestic mountainous feature at a height of 17,500 feet dominating observation that during the war interfered with the movement of troops and logistics taking place on the Srinagar-Leh Highway.

The unit employed a strategy that was the most difficult and unsuspected approach to gain the element of surprise. It was a three-pronged attack with a hook to snap the enemy supply lines and use battalion commandos, Ghataks. The heavy shelling of Indian artillery shook the enemy’s defensive position and Ghataks led by Lieutenant Balwan and Havildar Yogender Singh Yadav attacked from the rear, as positioned.

“This was the most difficult strategy ever employed on an open battlefield. There was no information about the number and weapons of the enemy. We were only told about five to six Mujahideens. We captured Tiger Hill on the early morning of July 4,” says the officer. India was in a full-fledged war after over two decades. And other than the fact that the battalion was transported in a few days of preparation, there were logistic challenges. Lack of equipment, high-altitude warfare preparations, acclimatisation and of course, artillery support. 

“As my platoon of 18 Grenadiers advanced to attack Tololing, enemy sniper fire, machine gun and rocket fire and artillery fire became more and more intense. Seeing the seriousness of the situation, I asked for the help of helicopter fire from Brigade Commander Brigadier A.N Aul. As we moved forward, we came to know that a company of Pakistan’s North Light Infantry was barricaded with heavy weapons above Tololing,” he says.

Tololing and Point 5140 were attacked with the help of Cheetah helicopters on 24 May, and MI 17 gunship helicopters from 26 to 28 May. Major Rajesh Adhikari guided the pilots of the helicopters over the target and also fired with the machine gun himself, but due to the high altitude and the enemy moving in a reverse slope, the fire of the helicopter and the machine gun did not prove to be effective,” he recalled and shared a video clip of ’50 days of Kargil War’.

He recalls that the enemy had put up such a heavy barrage that on May 27, 1999, an MI 17 helicopter was shot down by a stinger missile and all its crew were martyred. “Soon after that, the Air Force stopped all low-level ground helicopter attacks in the Kargil war. Despite all these challenges, the brave soldiers of the platoon stood firm and kept moving forward,” says Brigadier Thakur.

Setting an example of courage

No war is complete without taking a blow. While Indian soldiers inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy, Nine Indian soldiers were martyred in the battle and 20 were injured. “I lost two of my brave officers besides two JCOs and 21 other ranks. The unit was supported by brave soldiers of 8 Sikh,” recalls the officer.

It is this courage and sacrifice that the Tricolour flew atop Tiger Hill on July 4, 1999. For their tenacity and unparalleled valour on the battlefield, 18 Grenadiers were honoured with a total of 52 gallantry awards, including Param Vir Chakra, two Maha Vir Chakra, six Vir Chakra and 16 Sena Medal (Gallantry), besides many other honours.

The unit was also awarded Theatre Honour Kargil, Battle Honour (Tiger Hill and Tololing) by the then President and Unit Citation by the then Army Chief General Ved Malik. In addition, every year July 26 is observed as Vijay Divas to commemorate the Kargil victory in Dras.

“As the CO of 18 Grenadiers, I had seen the professionalism of my men in counter-insurgency operations from where we were ordered to move to the heights of Kargil almost overnight. Though, every unit trains its men for conventional operations and yet when one encounters it, one can never be too prepared,” he added.

Crime

CISF seizes foreign currency worth Rs 1.13 crore at Kolkata airport

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Alert personnel of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) detected foreign currency worth approximately Rs 1.14 crore concealed in the hand baggage of two passengers bound for Bangkok at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, Kolkata.

The detection took place around 10:20 a.m. on October 19 during routine security screening at the International Terminal Security Hold Area. A CISF screener noticed suspicious images in the X-ray scans of the hand baggage carried by the two passengers scheduled to travel to Bangkok on Bhutan Airlines flight B3700. The bags were subsequently referred for physical examination.

During the inspection, CISF personnel recovered USD 1,19,900, equivalent to approximately Rs 1,13,64,002, concealed inside false bottoms of the two bags. The foreign currency had been wrapped in newspaper in an apparent attempt to conceal it from security personnel.

Of the total amount recovered, USD 74,900 was found in the hand baggage of one passenger, while USD 45,000 was recovered from the other passenger’s bag.

Following the prescribed formalities, both passengers, along with the seized currency, were handed over to the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of Customs for further investigation and necessary legal action.

On October 20, the passenger from whose baggage USD 74,900 was recovered was taken by AIU/Customs officials to the District and Sessions Court for further legal proceedings following the investigation and seizure. The second passenger was released by Customs after the issuance of a detention receipt for the USD 45,000 recovered from the passenger’s baggage.

CISF in a release reiterated its commitment to maintaining aviation security through effective screening procedures, alert surveillance and professional conduct by its personnel. According to officials, the detection stresses the importance of coordinated action between airport security personnel and Customs authorities in addressing suspected financial and currency-related violations.

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Crime

Gujarat: Man held after 0.77 grams of mephedrone found in ‘porter’ delivery parcel

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A 27-year-old businessman was arrested by Naroda police after 0.77 grams of suspected mephedrone, valued at Rs 1,540, was found in a parcel being delivered through the Porter application near Nana Chiloda Circle in Ahmedabad, police said on Wednesday.

The case came to light after police received a control-room message about a suspicious parcel that had arrived for delivery through the application.

The substance was examined preliminarily by a Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) officer in the presence of panch witnesses and was found to be mephedrone, a synthetic drug.

Police seized the substance and initially registered an offence against three unidentified mobile phone holders under Sections 8(c), 22(a) and 29 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

During the investigation, they traced and arrested the man suspected of ordering the consignment through the parcel.

The accused was identified as Priyang Sanghvi (27). He is a businessman who lives in Aram Park Flats in the Sabarmati area of the city. He is originally from Shirodi village in Rajasthan’s Sirohi district.

According to the police, the suspected method involved using a mobile phone number belonging to a witness to log in to the Porter application.

Drug consignments were allegedly packed separately in zipper bags and sent through the delivery service. An intermediary was allegedly used to distribute the drugs to different customers for sale.

The police said the arrest followed instructions from senior officers to curb the illegal sale and transportation of narcotic substances and detect offences related to them.

“The operation was conducted by Naroda police personnel under the supervision of Senior Police Inspector B M Katariya,” officials said.

The police seized 0.77 grams of mephedrone, valued at Rs 1,540. The investigation concerns the alleged use of a parcel delivery application to transport the substance and its subsequent distribution through an intermediary.

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Crime

Bihar: 75-year-old man stabbed to death; woman and her son injured

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A 75-year-old man was allegedly stabbed to death, while a woman and her 25-year-old son were injured in a violent clash between neighbours at Rohda Kala village under Barharia police station limits in Bihar’s Siwan district on Wednesday.

The deceased was identified as Rama Nandan Prasad, son of the late Garib Bhagat.

The injured were identified as Baby Devi, 44, and her son Kishan Kumar, 25.

The injured were taken to the Barharia Community Health Centre for treatment. While Kishan received primary medical care, Baby Devi was referred to Siwan Sadar Hospital due to her critical condition.

According to Kishan Kumar, his grandfather was sitting outside the house drinking tea while his mother was cooking, and he was asleep.

Hearing a commotion, he went outside and found his grandfather lying in a pool of blood.

He then heard his mother crying from inside the house and rushed in, where he allegedly saw neighbours attacking her with knives. When he tried to intervene, he was also injured in the attack.

Kishan claimed that he had no prior dispute with the neighbours and said the reason for the attack was unclear.

With the help of residents, two alleged assailants were apprehended and handed over to the police.

After receiving information, the Barharia police reached the village and launched an investigation.

A Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) team was also called to collect evidence from the scene.

The police have set up a camp in the village amid tension following the incident.

Barharia Station House Officer Chhotan Kumar said a patrolling officer was initially sent to the spot, after which he reached the village to investigate the incident.

He said an FIR has been registered against the named accused based on Kishan Kumar’s statement.

The two detained suspects are being questioned, while the motive behind the incident remains unclear.

Police said further action would be taken based on the investigation.

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