Srinagar: Garud Special Forces operatives played a key role in the encounter that resulted in the deaths of four terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama on Saturday. The encounter was spearheaded by the Indian Army.

Sources in the security establishment told India Today that one officer of the Garud Special Forces continued to fire at the terrorists despite being shot twice.

Garud Commandos were in the limelight four years ago when they carried out two major operations in 2017 in which eight terrorists were neutralised.

Pulwama Encounter

Sources said that for the Pulwama operations on Saturday, the security forces, including the 55 Rashtriya Rifles of the Indian Army and Jammu and Kashmir police, carried out a cordon and search operation in Naira village, Pulwama gen area, around 7 pm.

After some time, the forces managed to pinpoint the presence of terrorists inside a particular house based on inputs by locals.

The forces immediately evacuated the civilians in and around the house and ensured that they were sent to a safe distance. They then tightened the cordon around the house, which resulted in the terrorists opening fire at the forces.

While resorting to heavy firing in an attempt to break the cordon, the terrorists came into direct line of fire with army and Garud personnel, which resulted in a gunfight.

In this process, Squadron Leader Sandeep Jhanjaria of the Garud Special Forces was hit with two bullets in his chest and left arm, sources said.

Despite the injury, the officer continued engaging the terrorists till all three fleeing militants were eliminated, sources told India Today.

In fact, after three terrorists were eliminated, one of their accomplices came out of the hiding spot and started firing at the Garud troops' party. This led to Corporal Anand being hit by a bullet.

The forces immediately neutralised the fourth terrorist and searched the area.

To help the Garud Special Forces gain experience in real combat, the Army Headquarters has been attaching Garud Special Forces operatives and sending them on attachment to Rashtriya Rifles units who carry out counter-terrorist operations on a daily basis.

In the 2017 operations in Hajin, the guards were part of the 13 Rashtriya Rifles, while in the encounter on Saturday, they were with the 55 Rashtriya Rifles.

For the Haji operations, Corporal JP Nirala was awarded the Ashok Chakra posthumously, while team commander Wing Commander Rajeev Chauhan was conferred the Vayu Sena Medal for gallantry.