Author: Shujaat Bukhari
Publication: The Hindu
Date: August 2, 2007
URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/08/02/stories/2007080262701200.htm
A day after Colonel Vasanth Venugopal was
killed fighting a group of infiltrators from across the Line of Control (LoC)
in Uri sector, the Army on Wednesday said that eight militants were killed
in the 36-hour-long gun-battle which ensued after the group was challenged.
One soldier was also killed and another injured.
Giving details, defence spokesman Lt. Col.
A.K. Mathur said eight Afghan militants were killed in the operation, which
was one of the biggest in the area in recent months.
He said that on noticing the movement of these
infiltrators near the LoC in Uri, Col. Vasanth, Commanding Officer of the
9 Maratha Light Infantry, personally organised his command and ensured that
every gap in the rugged and inaccessible terrain was covered with surveillance
devices.
"In the early hours of Monday, he personally
took command of a body of troops and moved swiftly to thwart the movement
of the militants. He successfully intercepted them and fired upon them.
They hid in the dense undergrowth. But he
led his troops from the front," the spokesman said.
At daybreak on Tuesday, Col. Vasanth started
engaging the militants and personally brought down one of them but was himself
injured when another group opened fire at him.
Regardless of his injuries and fire that was
coming from the two sides towards his position, Col. Vasanth kept engaging
them and gunned down two more. In the operation, which later continued till
late on Wednesday evening, the eight militants were killed.
They were heavily-armed and well-equipped
with explosives, AK-47 rifles and communication equipment.
