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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

Three men arrested in Madhya Pradesh for circulating video of tourist in Ajmer

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Jaipur, Sep 30: Rajasthan Police arrested three men from Madhya Pradesh in connection with the alleged recording and circulation of an objectionable video of an Israeli woman in Ajmer.

According to police, the incident took place on September 9, 2026, when the woman was allegedly filmed without her consent while bathing at the Ajaypal Baba Ajaysar Kund. The video was later circulated on social media.

Acting on the directions of Ajmer Superintendent of Police Harshvardhan, special police teams used technical evidence and social media monitoring to trace the suspects. Police said the arrests were made as part of an investigation into the circulation of the video and efforts to identify those responsible. The case came to the attention of the Ajmer District Social Media Cell after the video surfaced online.

A joint team was formed under the supervision of Additional Superintendent of Police (City) Himanshu Jangid and Circle Officer (Dargah) Harshit Sharma, with Ganj Station House Officer Narendra Singh leading the operation.

Investigators examined social media accounts, Instagram IDs and mobile phone details linked to the suspects. Police said technical evidence, along with CCTV footage, helped them trace the accused to Machalpur in Rajgarh district of Madhya Pradesh. A police team subsequently conducted a raid in the area and arrested three suspects.

The arrested men have been identified as Arjun (30), a resident of Gadiya Majara Khoyara; Dayaram (30), a resident of Kundi Beg; and Jujhar (25), also a resident of Kundi Beg, according to police.

Police said that during interrogation, the accused allegedly admitted to recording the video near Ajaypal Kund and circulating it through their Instagram accounts.

The allegations are subject to the ongoing investigation and legal proceedings. A case has been registered against the three accused under Case No. 246/26 under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including Sections 75(2), 75(3), 77, 79, 296(b), 352 and 3(5).

The arrests come a day after Ajmer Police took action in a separate case involving the alleged harassment of a foreign tourist at a marble dumping yard in Kishangarh, in which four youths were arrested.

The successive investigations highlight the police’s focus on incidents involving the safety and privacy of tourists, including foreign visitors, in the Ajmer region.

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National News

Three-year-old Bihar tigress airlifted to Bengal, release in Buxa on Oct 2

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Kolkata, Sep 30: A three-year-old tigress from Bihar’s Valmiki Tiger Reserve was airlifted to Hasimara Air Force Station in north Bengal on Wednesday morning as part of an ambitious effort to restore the tiger population in Buxa Tiger Reserve in the state.

The tigress, captured after a week-long search operation, was flown from Gorakhpur airport in a specially designed cage with full medical support. An Indian Air Force helicopter carried the animal to Hasimara, where it landed at around 4:45 am.

Forest department officials said a team of nearly 70 tiger rescue personnel had been searching for the tigress in Valmiki Tiger Reserve for several days despite difficult weather conditions. She was finally tranquilised with sleeper darts before dusk on Tuesday.

After the capture, the tigress underwent health checks before being transported by road from Valmiki Tiger Reserve in Bihar’s Champaran district to Gorakhpur airport, around 125 km away. Following the airlift, two wildlife veterinarians and tiger experts examined her physical parameters for more than an hour at Hasimara.

The tigress was then transported by road to Buxa Tiger Reserve, about 37 km from Hasimara. Security arrangements were strengthened along the route, with additional police personnel deployed to ensure a smooth transfer.

The animal entered Buxa through the Rajabhatkhawa gate at around 6:45 pm and was taken to a special forest department facility at 25 Miles. She will remain there temporarily before being moved to a 2.2-hectare natural enclosure.

Officials said the tigress will be released into the natural enclosure on October 2, coinciding with Gandhi Jayanti.

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari and Union Minister Bhupendra Yadav are scheduled to attend the release programme.

The relocation is part of a broader initiative to revive the tiger population in Buxa. The reserve has been preparing for the reintroduction programme, with forest authorities making arrangements for the animal’s acclimatisation and monitoring after its release. The movement of the tigress involved coordination among forest, wildlife and defence authorities.

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disaster

Girl dies after school staircase collapses in Bihar Khagaria

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Patna, Sep 30: A schoolgirl lost her life, and four other students were injured after a staircase collapsed at Jatadhar Mishra Primary School in Amani Panchayat under Mansi block of Khagaria district in Bihar on Wednesday.

The deceased has been identified as Ritika Kumari, daughter of Manoj Yadav, a resident of Amani Panchayat.

According to initial reports, students were present on the school premises when the staircase suddenly collapsed, leaving several children trapped under the debris.

Ritika sustained critical injuries to her head in the incident. She was rushed to a hospital for treatment, where doctors declared her dead.

Three other students injured in the collapse were admitted to Sadar Hospital in Khagaria.

They are undergoing treatment and remain under medical observation.

The incident triggered panic at the school, with family members and villagers rushing to the spot after receiving the information.

Agitated residents questioned the condition of the school building and the staircase and demanded action against those responsible.

The incident also raised concerns about the structural safety of the school premises and whether adequate measures had been taken to ensure the safety of students.

Police reached the school after being informed about the incident and took steps to control the situation.

The body of the deceased student was taken into custody for post-mortem examination.

The District Magistrate of Khagaria has directed the District Education Officer (DEO) to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident and take appropriate action against those found responsible.

The district police are currently recording statements from the injured students to ascertain the exact sequence of events.

Police are also examining the structural condition of the school building and staircase to determine whether any structural deficiencies contributed to the incident.

Based on the findings of the investigation and the reports submitted by the concerned authorities, the State Education Department is expected to take appropriate action against those responsible.

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