2016 Pampore Stand-Off 🧵
On Feb 20, 2016, heavily armed terrorists attacked a CRPF convoy on the Jammu Srinagar highway. After the attack they ran away and entered the nearby government EDI building. they locked themselves inside and this led to a tense 48-hour encounter with security forces.
the attack was carried out by a squad of four LeT terrorists. they were heavily equipped with AK-47 assault rifles, UBGLs, hand grenades and explosives.
When the terrorists entered the multi-storey EDI building, around 120 civilians (mostly students and staff) were stuck inside. Indian army and CRPF quickly launched a joint operation and their first priority was to get everyone out safely. Even while facing heavy gunfire, the security forces used armoured vehicles and managed to evacuate all 120 people without harm.
The First Assault:
>Once the civilians were evacuated, the Army called in the 10 Para SF to clear the building. Captain Pawan Kumar (just 23 yrs old) led his squad into the complex to flush out the terrorists.
>The terrorists were entrenched on the upper floors, firing down the stairwells. Capt Pawan Kumar led his team up the stairs under heavy automatic fire and grenades.
>Upon reaching a top floor, Capt Pawan kicked open a door to a room where terrorists were holed up. He was hit by a volley of close-range gunfire. Despite being grievously wounded and refusing evacuation, he fired back eliminating one terrorist and providing vital cover fire for his squad to pull back to safety. He succumbed to his injuries shortly after.
9 Para SF Takes Over:
>Captain Tushar Mahajan 9 Para SF did a reconnaissance of the building and devised a new breach plan. he placed snipers around the perimeter to pin the terrorists away from the windows, blasted the front doors and send two squads in simultaneously to disorient the enemy.
>The squads entered and began a grueling room-by-room clearance. The first squad secured the lower floor. The second squad led by scout Lance Naik Om Prakash moved up. As they hit the 2nd/3rd floor landing they took devastating fire from above. To prevent his squad from being wiped out in the fatal funnel of the stairwell, Lance Naik Om Prakash deliberately stepped into the line of fire to engage the terrorists. He took a bullet continued firing to kill another terrorist and was shot again. He managed to crawl to safety but died later in the hospital.
>Simultaneously, Capt Tushar Mahajan's squad was pinned down by heavy fire from a specific room on the third floor. Realizing the assault was stalling, Capt Mahajan charged the room firing his weapon and throwing grenades. He was hit by a hail of bullets in his legs. Bleeding profusely, he managed to shoot and neutralize the terrorist who fired at him before collapsing. He was evacuated but succumbed to his injuries.
Change of Tactics:
>Having lost three of their finest Special Forces operators to the tactical disadvantage of room-to-room fighting, the Army changed its approach. They stopped sending men inside to clear the remaining floors.
>The Army brought in heavy weaponry, using rocket launchers and mortars to relentlessly pound the upper floors of the EDI building, systematically destroying the terrorists' cover. Drone reconnaissance was used to pinpoint their last locations. By the end of the 48th hour, the remaining terrorists were dead.
Their sacrifice will never be forgotten.
ॐ शांति🙏
END OF THREAD
📽️: @Neetivaan
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