STATE TIMES NEWS
Shillong: Eight surviving personnel of the Assam Rifles who had eliminated 72 insurgents and captured 13 others alive in a single operation in Jammu and Kashmir 30 years ago, were on Monday felicitated by the para-military force here, an official said.
Two of their comrades died during Operation Dudhi, a counter-insurgency offensive, in 1991 and their wives were present at the programme held in the Assam Rifles headquarters.
It is the largest and most successful counter-insurgency operation in the country ever, the official said.
All eight surviving personnel of the Assam Riffles and family members of two others who died in the operation were flown in, and today, the DG of the Assam Riffles felicitated them for their act of valour in 1991, a spokesperson of the force told PTI.
Conducted on May 3, 1991, Operation Dudhi was led by Subedar Padam Bahadur Chhetri. He along with others had moved toward the snow-laden camp at Dudhi from Bari Baihk when the troops came under attack from militants that had infiltrated into the area.
Despite being greatly outnumbered, troops of the 7th Battalion were unfazed. Equipped with only 7.62 mm self-loading rifles and a light machine gun, the brave soldiers used tact to surround the enemy who was armed with sophisticated weapons,” the official said.
In the gun battle that lasted over six hours until reinforcements arrived, 72 heavily armed militants were eliminated and 13 were captured.
A complex at the Assam Rifles headquarters here was named after the leader of the operations – Padam Bahadur Chhetri.
The officer said that the force is keen on making a movie on Operation Dudhi so that everyone in the country can know about it.
Two soldiers, Kameshwer Prasad and Ram Kumar Arya, died in the operation. Their wives attended the event on Monday.
Assam Riffles DG Lt Gen PC Nair during his recent travel to Nepal had met with some of the surviving members of the 7th Battalion which resulted in the felicitation programme. In his speech, Nair said, Subedar Chettri had come all the way from Nepal’s Pokhra. This is the most successful counter-insurgency operation undertaken by any force. It is less known nowadays and we want to highlight their valour. It is a phenomenal accomplishment and we are deeply honoured by their contribution to the country, Nair said.
