Army uses sophisticated weaponry in operation
Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Sept 14: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha today laid a wreath and paid homage to Col Manpreet Singh and Major Aashish Dhonchak, who made supreme sacrifice in an operation against terrorists in Anantnag.
“My deepest condolences to their families. The grateful nation will forever remain indebted to the bravehearts,” the Lt Governor said.
The mortal remains of the bravehearts will be sent to their respective native places for last rites with full military honours.
Meanwhile, the exchange of fire between security forces and militants continued for the second consecutive day today in Gadool forest area of Kokernag hamlet in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district Army pressing high tech gadgets.
An official said that intermittent exchange of fire between security forces and the hiding militants remained on throughout the day as the operation was put on a halt after the darkness this evening.
A police official said that security forces have encircled two Lashkar-e-Toiba militants including Uzair Khanm, a local militant at Gadool area of Kokernag.
“In solemn tribute to the unwavering valor of Col Manpreet Singh, Major Aashish Dhonchak & DySP Humayun Bhat, who laid down their lives leading from the front during this ongoing operation. Our forces persist with unwavering resolve as they encircle 2 LeT terrorists including Uzair Khan,” Police said in a post on ‘X’, formerly known as Twitter.
Army said that the “terrorists will not be spared and all new generation weapons and devices are being used to locate hiding terrorists.”
“We are using drones including herons have been pressed into action to find and neutralize the hiding terrorists,” an Army official said.
Notably, the Kokernag encounter is the biggest since August 5 this year in South Kashmir when three soldiers of army’s 34 RR were killed in Halan Manzgam forest area of Kulgam district.
On March 30, 2020, five security personnel-including a Colonel, a Major and a Sub-Inspector were killed in an 18-hour long encounter at North Kashmir’s Handwara.
Srinagar based Defence spokesman said here that the search columns, to the higher reaches in Kokernag were being led from the front by Col Manpreet Singh, Commanding Officer of 19 RR Bn and Maj Aashish Dhonchak, Company Commander of Kokernag Company of 19 RR Bn.
“The columns moved through re-entrants and rugged terrain which had dense foliage and undergrowth. On 13th Sept at approximately 1230h in the afternoon troops came under heavy fire. They retaliated, and engaged the terrorists. In the ensuing fire fight Col Manpreet Singh, Maj Aashish Dhonchak, and DySP Humayun suffered gunshot wounds and later succumbed laying down their lives in service to the nation in the finest traditions of the Indian Army and Security Forces. Mortal remains of Col Manpreet Singh, Maj Aashish Dhonchak were retrieved through specialized operations in the treacherous terrain,” he said.
He said that in the ensuing operations two more security personnel have been injured and the operation is still under progress.
“The late Col Manpreet Singh was 41 years old and had joined Army in 2005, resident of Panchkula, Haryana. The braveheart is survived by his wife and two young children,” he said.
“The late Maj Aashish Dhonchak was 34 years old and had joined the Indian Army in 2013, resident of Panipat, Haryana. The braveheart is survived by his wife and a young daughter,” he said.
He said that LG Manoj Sinha, Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai, Chinar Corps Commander along with Chief Secretary Arun Kumar and numerous other dignitaries laid wreaths to pay homage to the bravehearts today in a solemn ceremony at BB Cantt.
“The mortal remains of Late Col Manpreet Singh and Late Maj Aashish Dhonchak have been transported by a special aircraft for last rites to their native hometowns where they would be laid to rest with full military honours,” he said.
“In this hour of grief, the Indian Army stands in solidarity with the bereaved families and remains committed to their dignity, safety and well-being,” he said.
Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and his Haryana counterpart Manohar Lal Khattar took to X and paid tribute to the martyred officers.
Those who turned up to express grief and be with the families in this tragic hour said the Army should give a befitting reply to the terrorists.
“Everyone knows that Pakistan has waged a proxy war. Our Army should give a befitting reply once and for all, so that no mother has to mourn the loss of her son, no sister loses her brother again in this manner, no wife loses her husband and no child loses its father,” an elderly man who lives in Dhonchak’s neighbourhood told reporters in Panipat.
In Mullanpur, Singh’s wailing mother Manjit Kaur said, “The government should eliminate terrorists. It should take a tough decision now.”
“My colonel, my son has been killed,” she said.
Kaur said she spoke to her son on Sunday afternoon and he had told her that he would soon come home on leave.
She said he was around 40 years of age and she has lost him after losing his father, also an ex-serviceman, in 2014.
Singh’s sister said she spoke to him on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan recently.
He had only a few months left for his present tenure in his current place of posting, she said with tears rolling down her eyes.
While Dhonchak’s family lives in Panipat’s Sector 7, his native village is Binjhol in Panipat district. His family said he was supposed to come home on leave next month.
A relative of Dhonchak told reporters in Panipat that he sacrificed his life for the sake of the country.
His brother Ashish said he was lucky to have him as his elder brother.
Ashish was to shift to a new house in Panipat in October. The family got the house built as it was living in a rented accommodation.
Col preferred his men than peace posting
“No Sir” was the prompt reply of Colonel Manpreet Singh when he was offered a peace posting upon his promotion in 2021. Instead, he volunteered to stay and command the 19 Rashtriya Rifles, a battalion credited with major kills of terrorists including Hizbul Mujahideen poster boy Burhan Wani.
Col Singh, who is survived by his wife, a six-year-old son and a two-year-old daughter, was a combat veteran and was awarded Sena Medal during his tenure as second-in-command of the 19 Rashtriya Rifles, a battalion tasked with ensuring security in South Anantnag, Kokernag, Achabal and Verinag including its higher reaches, which have been highly infested with terrorists especially foreign mercenaries in the past.
After his promotion in 2021 as a Colonel, Singh was given a choice to opt for peace area posting.
“No Sir, I would like to be posted in my 19 RR (Rashtriya Rifles) and be with my own men,” was his prompt response, politely rejecting the offer that had been made to him.
Col Singh always wanted to lead from the front and the reason generally given by him was “I have to ensure that every one under my command is safe.”
A sports enthusiast, Col Singh always believed in uplift of youth and engaged them in sports activities.
‘Chinar Cricket tournament’ for women and volleyball events were quite frequent in otherwise restive areas of Larkipora, where the formation’s headquarters was located.
Many sports lovers in the area said they could not believe that Col Singh was no more.
Many of them said the officer was always available for youths and had encouraged them to build a comprehensive society.
“He believed that sports played an important role in building a society…There were many drug addicts whom he sent for rehabilitation,” said woman cricketer Rubbiya Sayeed. (PTI)
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