Shaheed
Constable Suraj Bhan
He had just finished
distributing Shivratri Prasaad of walnuts amongst
his colleagues. Suraj Bhan a member of the Special
Operation Group (SOG) had returned to join his
duties on 17th February after celebrating Shivratri,
with his family at Udhampur. He was still in a
'festive mood', when at 11:30 AM the same day, he
received orders to join the security contingent for
a combing operation in Ganderbal.
The contingent comprising
of around 40 security personnel drawn from CRPF,
Army and SOG rushed to Kharbagh Sumbal area of
Ganderbal. They reached the assigned place at 2:30
PM. Kharbagh village was wearing deserted look-a
clear signal of an impending trouble. Villagers had
fleed the village, expecting a security operation,
as large number of dreaded terrorists had sneaked
into the village.
Initial search operations
revealed nothing. However, inspector PV Singh and
Suraj Bhan where not sure ofthese initial
conclusions. They suspected the near by house to be
a hideout and forced their way into house. Both got
killed as they were climbing the third story, in the
indiscriminate firing resorted to by the holed up
terrorists hiding behind the haystack on the third
storey of the house. In the counter offensive by
security forces the house caught fire. However, most
of the holed up terrorists are reported to have
escaped. As per sources the escaped terrorists
included those who had participated in the Wandhama
massacre of Kashmiri Pandits last year.
During the heavy exchange
of fire, two constables of CRPF 28 Bn and 3 Army
personnel also got killed in addition to Suraj Bhan
and PV Singh of SOG, Srinagar. As per reports, when
two of the holed up terrorists tried to escape and
succeeded to reach the willow plantation beat near
the embankment of river Jhelum, Naik Narain Das of
15 Assam Regiment chased them and killed both of
them. In the retaliatory firing Narain Das also got
martyred. Heart rending scenes were witnessed
in the Shamshan Ghat at Devika Udhampur where the
funeral of Suraj Bhan took place. The wooden coffin
carrying the dead body was also consigned to flames
on the funeral pyre by his family members who
thought that the box had become a part of the mortal
remains of Late Suraj.
Inspector Ravinder Bhat
under whom Suraj worked was taken aback when one of
the brothers of Suraj asked him immediately after
the funeral rites.' Inspector tell us honestly.
Which type of death Suraj died-a Cowards or a
martyrs'. In an emotion choked voice he told his
family members that for the answer they needed only
to see his file. 'Even while he has not yet
completed his two years probation his name is being
considered for a police medal for his services.'
Constable Suraj Bhan had to
his credit four major security operations. At
Kamarwari sometime back Suraj had participated with
distinction in a daredevil operation in which five
foreign mercenaries and two local terrorists were
killed. In other operation deputy supreme commander
of Harkatul Mujahideen Saif-ullah Chikhat code named
'Hafat' was killed by constable Suraj earlier. In
another daredevil operation Suraj Bhan had arrested
the deputy supreme commander of Hizbul Mujahideen
Ali Mohd Dar. Police sources also revealed that in a
major security operation Suraj alongwith other
constable of SOG had killed two Lashkar-i-Toiba
terrorists at Bemina which also resulted in capture
of lot of arms and ammunition. Both these martyred
police personnel from SOG Srinagar, have a
distinguished family background. Dy SP Anantnag Mr
KT Singh is the brother of inspector Param Vir Singh
who got martyred alongwith Suraj Bhan at Kharbagh
Sumbal. While mortal remains of PV Singh were yet to
be consigned to flames who had died at Kharbagh , KT
Singh was busy leading another operation at Wuter
Hall the very next day. During this search operation
a fierce exchange of fire took place in which 3
terrorist of Hizbul Mujahideen were killed. Late
Suraj Bhan also belongs to a family of police
personnel. His father Jamna Das Bhan is a retired
fire-services officer. His elder brother Himmet Bhan
is employed with the Railway Crime Police and his
younger brother Vijay Bhan has just joined police
services.
The father of Suraj Bhan Sh
Jamna Das is a tall and tough persons. 'I know he
has died a lion's death and it is a matter of pride
for me inspite of the blow which his death has
inflected on us'. Suraj Bhan was just 22. He had
joined the police services and volunteered for
Special Operations Group. His family did not
know that he was working with SOG. And that is the
only remorse his father had. 'I never thought that
he was involved in such operations. I wish I could
have given him a salute when he was alive'.
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