Army’s top brass on Wednesday paid glowing tribute to Colonel Munindra Nath Rai who died in a brief encounter with Hizbul Mujahideen’s two hardcore militants at Handoora village in South Kashmir’s Tral sub-division on Tuesday afternoon. The encounter that resulted into the death of a police head-constable and two militants besides Col Rai, is indicative of grim security situation in Kashmir valley.
Insurgency experts say that death of Col Rai, who had been conferred with Yudh Seva Medal (YSM) on the Republic Day, is the biggest casualty inflicted on security forces in South Kashmir in many years, though level of violence is on a continuous decline. The number of militants has dwindled but quality of their attacks has significantly improved. In December last year, lashkar-e-Tayyeba militants attacked an Army camp in Uri killing eight soldiers including a lieutenant Colonel before all six of them were gunned down.
The conflict is obvious on the ground also. While top Army officers paid glowing tributes to the slain officer at XV Corps headquarters in Srinagar, a complete shutdown was observed in Tral area in memory of the local militants. Hundreds of people chanting slogans for Islam and azaadi visited the residences of slain militants.“The supreme sacrifice of the brave men only strengthens our resolve to fight all elements inimical to security of Kashmir,” XV Corps Commander lt Gen Subrata Saha told reporters after leading wreath laying ceremony.
“Col Rai always led from the front in multiple operations that he carried out in 2014 and also in 2015. He combined bravery with compassion and people in Tral knew him very well for his several initiatives,” Saha said, recalling the slain officer’s civic action programmes and anti-insurgency operations.On Tuesday afternoon, Col Rai led a small team of soldiers to cordon a house in Handoora village, 12 km from Bajwani camp of 42-Rashtriya Rifles after receipt of information about presence of militants.
The officer was in the courtyard of the suspected house when militants came out firing automatic weapons indiscriminately. Sources said Col Rai had sent in a messenger to offer surrender opportunity to militants but they preferred to open fire. Col Rai was hit in head below the bulletproof headgear. Sources said that he died instantly.The encounter culminated in less than 10 minutes after soldiers shot dead fleeing militants. A police head constable died and two soldiers were wounded in the gunfight. Eyewitnesses said that the village had not been cordoned off before the encounter.
Saha linked Col Rai's presence in the courtyard of suspected house to his bravery and commitment. "He (Rai) was always in the frontline, leading his men to deliver exceedingly well. Even in the operation on Tuesday, soon after the cordon was established, the commanding officer was incharge right in the front when he was approached by the father of one of the slain terrorist that his son would like to surrender", he said.
"If it were not for his quick response, quite clearly, there could have been causalities on the civilians who were there in the vicinity along with his brother and others. It is the very swift response of Col Rai and the men under his command, that the terrorists were eliminated", he said.