Shoot to THRILL ... Play to KILL.

2100 hrs

Date- Unknown

Situation- Raid on a terrorist hideout somewhere in Kashmir

It is pitch black outside. I get a call from the 2IC (2nd In Command) of the regiment) ... a terrorist recruiter named ***** ***** (names are undisclosed due to security reasons) had been spotted and this time it was solid intel that had come to our doors. I gather my platoon and brief them about the situation. Neutralizing this terrorist was crucial for counter-insurgency operations (in the Valley) to catch the required pace. After briefing my men I ordered my men to collect their weapons from the armory. We mounted on our vehicles and started the hour-long journey to the target location. We all were clenching to our weapons with our more than trained fingers itching to pull the trigger, but after reaching the target location we had realized that the intel we had was not in accordance with the layout of the target location. Now we had new objectives for the mission as we had to make sure that no collateral damage should occur. I ordered the platoon to split into 4 teams of 5 men. The worst part was that our CO (Commanding Officer) had travelled to the capital today morning for official and personal reasons. Calling him would portray us as fools. So...first we had to establish contact for the immediate help. As the first team entered one of the houses, a bullet flew passed me and my buddy soldier... we had now, established CONTACT.

2230hrs

I immediately pulled up my rifle (AK-203) and fired short bursts towards the window from where the fire came. We simultaneously radioed the Unit to send back up so that we were able to set up a cordon so that there was no chance of any of the militants escaping and turning the situation worse. We went to the 2 story building (total-10 commandos) and the remaining maintained a close watch around the building. the point-man of the team (equipped with a BT MP9 Sub-Machine Gun) instructed us to stack against the wall. He initiated the SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) by throwing in a concussion grenade and we simultaneously moved in (the other five men were entering from the back-side of the building). This wasn't the first time, I saw action as I had been in CI Ops. (Counter-Insurgency Operations) while being in CIJWS ( Counter Insurgency And Jungle Warfare School) in Mizoram. While moving up towards the 2nd story an injured militant with a fierce scream pulled up his AK-47 towards me but before he could pull the trigger I fired a hail of bullets towards him, all of which went into his torso. He now, from a highly motivated militant, became a dead body with faint hands holding onto a cheaply made weapon. I and my buddy moved upwards to find the main target where the main target was standing, chanting some prayers. But something was unusual, he was wearing a bomb on his body coming towards us. Seeing this I fired at him twice, hitting him twice (once in the HEAD and the other time in the CHEST). I thought that he hadn't triggered/detonated the explosives, but I was wrong as I saw his hand moving away from the detonator, creating a clicking sound. In a split second, I screamed Bahar Niklo! (Get out!) BOMB! and pushed my buddy violently down the stairs. Before I could have jumped down to the ground floor the bomb detonated, sending me towards the ground and almost collapsing the whole structure.

To be CONTINUED....