New Raising of Victor Force (RR) in Kashmir Valley
The challenge of new raising of Victor Force HQ ( Rashtriya Rifles ) was most exciting, especially because it was planned simultaneously with the counter insurgency operations which were at the peak in the Kashmir Valley. Our Force HQ was planned to be raised at Awantipur, which was a Field area, though only 20 km from Srinagar. Hence, we decided to choose Dhana as our Selected Place of Residence ( SPR ). This enabled my family to retain the accommodation at Dhana till completion of the Academic session. It also gave me the assurance of necessary assistance to my family members while I was proceeding for my third tenure in J&K.
I undertook the long train journey from Sagar to Jammu, reminiscing about the pleasant memories of my command tenure as Tiger 98 and my long association with the Jat Balwan family. I reported in Jammu Transit Camp on 10 Oct 1994 and left by the Army convoy for Srinagar next morning. It was a fascinating journey of 270 kms, with brief halts at Transit Camps enroute. The view as we crossed the Pir Panjal Range through the Jawahar tunnel, at an altitude of 9000 ft. was really magnificent. The tunnel is 3 km in length & connects Banihal with Qazigund, in the Kashmir Valley. The convoy reached Srinagar Transit Camp before sunset & I felt happy to be received by the Liaison Officer from our Force HQ. He informed me about the schedule of my briefing next day, which was planned at the temporary location of our HQ in Badami Bagh Cantonment.
I reported next morning at the Force HQ and was welcomed by the GOC. He gave an overview about the current situation of Counter Insurgency operations in the Kashmir Valley and explained the concept of operations by the Rashtriya Rifles Battalions, some of them were also in the process of raising simultaneously. The crest and motto of the Rashtriya Rifles was impressive. The RR crest consisted of the Ashok Chakra and two crossed rifles. Beneath, in a banner, was emblazoned the motto “Dhridhta aur Veerta”. Our area of responsibility extended from Banihal Pass ( also referred as the “Gateway of Kashmir” ) upto Zojila Pass ( also referred as the “Gateway of Ladakh”) and included all areas in depth of the LOC in the Kashmir Valley.
Thereafter, I was assigned the task of checking the progress of works at the location of our HQ in Awantipur , which was nearing completion. I went to Awantipur with the QRT ( Quick Reaction Team ), which was mandatory as per the SOP. My first visit to our new location on a dominating feature was very educative. The operational works were being executed by the Engineer Regiment in adverse weather conditions. The works involved assembly of pre- fabricated shelters of various design for the Operations Room, the office complex, living facilities & other ancillaries such as electricity and water supply. Security cordon was deployed along the perimeter during all the stages of construction Finally, we deployed at our new location, with lot of enthusiasm by mid Nov & completed our Raising as Victor Force.
Meanwhile, I completed my area familiarisation after visiting all the Sector HQ and the Rashtriya Rifles Battalions, sequentially along each axis namely ---- towards Banihal, towards Kaman Aman Setu near Uri & towards Zojila, which remained closed for almost six months due to heavy snowfall and land slides. These visits enabled me to understand the tactics employed by our troops while conducting operations against the terrorists who operated from safe hideouts in the forests and in the villages in the Valley. The type of operations were patrolling, area domination, ambushes, raids, route protection and cordon & search operations. Each type of operation was planned at our Force HQ after analysis of all the intercepts and various intelligence inputs, on a 24 x 7 basis. The execution of the specific operation was at the Battalion & Company levels. The operations were terminated after killing or capture of terrorists and recoveries of weapons , ammunition and explosives. Bullet proof jackets & Bullet proof patkas were mandatory, not only during the operations but also during any movement within the Valley.
As operations continued throughout the winters, I shouldered three more new responsibilities. Our HQ had to prepare a press note after each operation and also organise a media interaction frequently. In addition, we were required to give a response in case of any alleged human rights violations. Most importantly, I was responsible for planning & organising the Rest and Relief schedule which was followed by the RR Companies to recuperate by rotation in Badami Bagh Cantonment. The spin off benefits were reduction of battle fatigue & improvement of combat efficiency.
I was apprised about another major task of Rashtriya Rifles which had been completed successfully before I reported at Srinagar. It entailed providing security cover along both the routes for Amarnath Yatra. The holy shrine of Amarnath is located at an altitude of 12,800 ft. and can be reached after trekking either from Pahalgam or from Baltal.
I learnt a lot from one major Cordon and Search Operation conducted at Tral, which was just 10 km from our HQ. We got to know from intelligence reports that a group of terrorists had forcibly evicted the villagers and had taken shelter in the village during the period of heavy snowfall. Immediately, we planned and launched a Cordon and Search Operation at the Battalion Level which continued for almost one week. In this action, 10 terrorists were killed and two were captured in an injured condition while some managed to escape the cordon. The interrogation revealed that several groups had infiltrated in the areas of Pulwama, Kupwara and Shopian. Large quantities of weapons, ammunition & explosives were recovered at the end of this operation. We also had a few battle casualties which were evacuated to the Base Hospital in Srinagar. The most satisfying aspect was that there was no collateral damage or civilian casualties.
In conclusion, I always cherish the memories of my contrasting experiences in two different Sectors of J& K --- Poonch/ Rajouri Sector & the Kashmir Valley. My tenure in the” Ace of Spades” Division was a professionally enriching experience of three years on the LOC. In comparison, my short tenure in Victor Force ( RR ) was equally challenging & extraordinary experience of Counter Insurgency operations in the Kashmir Valley. Operations on the LOC were conducted by regular Infantry Battalions against Pakistani Battalions. However, Counter Insurgency operations in the Kashmir Valley were conducted in the depth areas in our own territory and were launched on the basis of intelligence inputs The difficulty was compounded further since the” Enemy” could not be identified as the terrorists were misguided youth from the local population and had the advantage of operating from their frequently changing hideouts. Moreover, the RR Battalions were also newly raised by posting suitable individuals on deputation, on the basis of mixed composition of 50% Infantry, 40% other Arms & 10% all Services.
In the first week of Apr 1995, I was delighted to receive the news about my selection for the prestigious Long Defence Management Course (LDMC). The Course was scheduled at College of Defence Management, Secunderabad. It was a well deserved recognition of my consistent performance throughout my career so far. My short tenure in Rashtriya Rifles proved to be my most memorable experience of Counter Insurgency Operations in the Kashmir Valley. It is relevant that in 2018, Rashtriya Rifles celebrated the Silver Jubilee having neutralised over 16,300 terrorists ( 8522 killed, 6737 apprehended & 1109 surrendered ). It has the unique distinction as the largest Counter Insurgency Force in the World !!!