A Commanding Officer of the Rashtriya Rifles, Colonel Santosh Mahadik, laid down his life in a fierce encounter with a group of recently-infiltrated militants in Manigah area of frontier Kupwara district of north Kashmir on Tuesday.
He was the second Commanding Officer who died in less than ten months’ time while fighting militants in the embattled Kashmir Valley. On January 27, Colonel MN Rai died in a brief encounter with militants in south Kashmir’s Tral sub-district, a day after he was awarded Shaurya Chakra on Republic Day.
Colonel Mahadik was a soldier of 21 Para Regiment (Special Forces), and had been leading 41-RR in a highly sensitive area along the line of Control (loC). Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed expressed grief over the colonel’s death and conveyed his sympathies to the bereaved family.
The operation in the area started last week when security forces began pursuing a group of three to five militants, suspected to be lashkar-e-Tayyeba (leT) cadre, who had been spotted in a village situated inside a forested area.
The operation was in progress when the last reports came in from the Manigah Haihama area, around 120 kilometers from here.
Defence spokesperson in Srinagar lt Col NN Joshi said the army and security forces have launched several anti-militancy operations in Kupwara area. Sources said on Tuesday morning, Colonel Mahadik received input that militants had arrived in a section of Manigah village to take meals in a house of a Kashmiri speaking resident.
He was relentlessly leading his men from the front despite spine-chilling cold and inhospitable terrain of the area.
“Colonel Mahadik led the team of his unit and Special Operation Group (SOG) of police. As they were combing the forest area at around 1 pm, the hiding militants opened indiscriminate fire, critically wounding the Army officer and a policeman,” sources said.
“The injured officer was immediately evacuated from the area and later airlifted to 92 Base Hospital in Srinagar. However, he succumbed to injuries”, sources said.
“The Colonel was a true soldier and had conducted many successful counter terrorist operations. The officer was earlier awarded Sena Medal for exhibiting gallantry and leadership in counter terrorist operations,” Col Joshi said.
Colonel Mahadik is survived by his wife, a-seven- year son and a five- year-old daughter.