The Garhwal Rifles - Operation Sarp Vinash 2003

Operation Sarp Vinash 2003

The Indian Army's Northern Command conducted a complex militant camp-busting operation called Sarp Vinash with skill and precision, easily one of the landmark counter-terrorism operations in Jammu & Kashmir–Hillkaka area. Hillkaka was no Kargil in its strategic importance but merely a staging post for Pakistani Muslim militants. Operation Sarp Vinash was a division-size operation involving seven battalions and two brigade headquarters. Spearheaded by 9 Para Special Forces, six other units of 163 Infantry Brigade and 12 RR sector took part. These were 2/4 Gorkha Rifles, 15 Garhwal Rifles, 4 Garhwal Rifles, 16 and 20 Rashtriya Rifles. It was estimated that up to 100 militants were in and around the Hillkaka hideout spread out in the forest when Special Forces struck in the initial raid. They killed 13 Pakistani militants and captured two of whom one died later. In subsequent combing operations which lasted 10 days, 4 Garhwal Rifles ambushed seven militants near Haripur while they were attempting to cross over into Srinagar. Altogether, 45 Muslim militants were killed against a loss of four soldiers killed and two wounded. Substantial recoveries were made. Approximately 60 caches and hideouts were busted yielding 20 AK 47 rifles, 5 PIKA guns, two sniper rifles and unspecified quantities of grenade launchers, self-loading rifles and 45 kg of plastic explosives. In addition substantial quantities of radio sets, and other communication equipment was also recovered besides rations enough to feed 500 men for two weeks.