Real life hero, Rifleman Sanjay Kumar

KT NEWS SERVICE

JAMMU, Aug 17: Killing five enemy personnel, lifting a machine gun while hit by a bullet in thigh muscle, lobbying a grenade and clearing a important army post. 

It is not a narration of any popular bollywood film but a real life scene enacted by Rifleman Sanjay Kumar of the 13 JAK Rif in "Operation Vijay" while capturing army post in the Mushkoh Valley.

He was awarded Param Vir Chakara and only one of handfull of personnel to be conferred this highest military award. Little did the PVC awardee know that his act would bring this laurel, for him it was a part of the duty which was executed with perfection.

The 13 JAK Rif is the only unit in the history of independent India to be awarded with two PVCs in a single operation. The other one was awarded to Capt. Vikram Batra who laid down his life in the defence of country.

On July 5, the Rifleman was a part of a Charlie Company that was ordered to clear point 4875 in the Mushok valley. The advance has to be deliberate as the post was well held by the intruders with remotest chance of returning alive.

After suffering initial causality a final assault was launched in the wee hours of July 5. It was defining moment in the career of Rifleman when he was asked to lead the attack. He charged from the front and managed to clear the sangar by killing intruders.

But this was not the final movement, as he ran out of ammunition the Rifleman was hit by two bullets in his thigh. On noticing the presence of intruders in near sangar he snatched a UMG from the Pak solider killed by him and captured the second sangar also. His daring attack and in effectively engaging the enemy personnel led to the capture of Point 4875. Determined and highly resolved to get the post clear, he refused to get vacated till the entire was cleared.

In the entire sequence of event which lasted for some hours he killed about 6 enemy soliders besides inflicting injury on many others. Rifleman Sanjay Kumar nonchalant of the entire episode as he could not count the number of soldiers killed by him. The number of ascertained by the rescue team.

The 13 JAK Rifles moved to base of Tololing feature on 5 June, 99. The unit was tasked to capture the Area hump upto Rockey Knoll and clear point 5140. The point 5140 dominated the Leh-Srinagar highway. A day attack was launched on 17 June and area upto Rocky Knoll was captured after heavy hand to hand fighting, without any loss of own troops. In the operation 8 Pakistan (Northern Light Infantry) soldiers were killed and 9 critically injured. The unit recovered large quantity of arms and ammunition.

For Rifleman Sanjay Kumar, this was not end of journey. Coming from a family with strong inkling for bet force, as his second brother is also a sepoy with ITBP, he is ready to put his life at risk for the cause of nation.

Nation's highest wartime gallantry award PARAM VIR CHAKRA was awarded to Rifleman Sanjay Kumar on 15th August 1999.