8 terrorists killed in three-day long army operation in Uri

The army operation against infiltrating terrorists from across the LoC in Uri sector in Jammu and Kashmir that began on Tuesday ended today with the elimination of eight hardcore Afghan terrorists.

New Delhi, Aug 2 : The army operation against infiltrating terrorists from across the LoC in Uri sector in Jammu and Kashmir that began on Tuesday ended today with the elimination of eight hardcore Afghan terrorists.

The operation had earlier witnessed the death of a Colonel and his radio operator.

As details of the operation came out today, Colonel Vasanth Venugopal of 9 Maratha Light Infantry led his team of soldiers in the dense forest of Batta Kaiyan in Uri sector after some terrorist were spotted infiltrating on the night of July 30.

After his team surrounded the terrorists, there was heavy firing in which Colonel and his radio operator L/Nk Bachhan Shashikant Ganpat were critically injured. However, the Colonel continued to pursue the operation before succumbing to injuries.

Ganpat too succumbed to his injuries.

On June 27, the deceased colonel had personally led another operation in which four hardcore terrorists were eliminated.

Colonel Vasanth was commissioned in the Army in 1989 from Indian Military Academy, Dehradun and held various instructional and staff appointments during his career.

He was a graduate from Defence Services Staff College and took over the command of 9 MARATHA LI in October 2006. Present Chief of Army Staff, General J J Singh had earlier commanded this battalion. Colonel Vasanth, resident of Bangalore, is survived by his wife and two teenage daughters.

ANI