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Our first priority to persuade militants for surrender: GOC

KT NEWS SERVICE. Dated: 1/28/2015 11:34:42 PM

SRINAGAR, Jan 28: General Officer Commanding (GOC) Chinar Corps Lt Gen Subrata Saha today said that the first priority of the army is to persuade militants to surrender during the anti-militancy operations in Kashmir.
He was talking to media at the wreath-laying ceremony for Col Munindra Nath Rai, who was killed during an encounter at Handoora in Tral, 24 hours after he was awarded a gallantry medal on Republic Day.
“We launch operation against the militants only after they refuse to surrender. We have been putting up certain positive efforts to keep youth away from militancy,” GOC said. He added that in the first month of the current year, Army managed to neutralize 10 hardcore militants while in 2014 the number was seven. He said that Army is playing a key role in bringing complete normalcy in Kashmir.
Army honoured Col Munindra Nath Rai, this morning.A wreath-laying ceremony was held for him. Wreaths were laid by GOC Chinar Corps and other senior army officers. The body of the officer was taken to his home town Varanasi, where the cremation ceremony will be held with full military honours.
Speaking on the occasion, Lt Gen Saha said, “My heart goes out to the family and relatives of the brave officer. May the Almighty bestow strength to them to bear the ultimate loss. I, on behalf of whole Chinar Corps, salute the brave soldiers,” he said, adding that Colonel Rai is survived by his wife and three children.
GOC said that when Col Rai's team reached the house in Handoora Tral and cordoned it off, the relatives of the militant, requested them not to carry out a full-scale operation, as that would entail sequestering the entire village. As the Colonel was engaging with the residents, two militants rushed out firing blindly. Col Rai was hit in the temple and Sanjeev Singh, a part of the Special Operations Group, was killed instantly. “Even after receiving the bullet, the brave Colonel directed his team to evacuate the family members safely from the encounter site,” he said.
Lt Gen Saha stated that Col Rai was the youngest of 13 officers awarded the Yudh Seva Medal on Republic Day. “It was Colonel Rai who changed the narrative in Tral. Due to his people friendly efforts, people came in large numbers to vote in the recently concluded assembly elections. Recently, he organized a tour for the fruit growers of Tral and facilitated their interaction with the fruit growers of Simla in Himachal Pradesh,” GOC said, adding that it is a matter of pride that “we had officers who chose to fight along with his men.”
He said Col Rai acted as a savior for the flood affected people in Tral. “He airlifted two females to Badami Bagh, when flood devastated the town. One pregnant female gave birth to a baby boy in Badamibagh hospital,” he said, adding that Rai played a key role in restoring the faith and confidence of people in Tral in democratic set up.
Saha also paid rich tribute to policeman, who was also killed in the encounter.