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| Hero of Operation Sarp Vinash, Tahir Fazal Choudhary, passes away | | |  Early Times Report
Jammu, Apr 23: Tahir Fazal Choudhary, a celebrated hero of the landmark 2003 counter-insurgency mission Operation Sarp Vinash, has passed away in Uttarakhand following a cardiac arrest, leaving behind a profound legacy of courage, patriotism, and selfless service.
A key leader of the Village Defence Guards in the Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, Choudhary devoted his life to protecting his community and country in some of the most perilous conditions imaginable. His pivotal role in Operation Sarp Vinash — a large-scale joint operation conducted in the Hill Kaka area of Poonch-Rajouri — earned him wide recognition as a true son of the soil and a symbol of grassroots resistance against terrorism.
Launched formally on April 21, 2003, Operation Sarp Vinash targeted Hill Kaka — a remote hamlet situated approximately 35 kilometres from the Line of Control in Surankote tehsil, Poonch, and home largely to nomadic Gujjar and Bakerwal communities. The area had long served as the largest terrorist safe haven south of the Pir Panjal range, with an estimated 350 militants operating there at any given time.
Troops were mobilised in the final week of March 2003, and the operation delivered decisive results — 65 terrorists were eliminated, three were arrested, 119 hideouts destroyed, and 79 major weapons along with large quantities of war materiel were recovered. Five "Beyond his operational role, Choudhary was the face of community resilience in the Pir Panjal belt. He commanded the trust of the security forces while serving as a beacon of hope for ordinary villagers living under the shadow of terrorism."
The operation’s success owed much to active cooperation from local inhabitants, among whom Choudhary stood out as a towering figure.
Beyond his operational role, Choudhary was the face of community resilience in the Pir Panjal belt. He commanded the trust of the security forces while serving as a beacon of hope for ordinary villagers living under the shadow of militancy. For him, the fight against terrorism was never merely a duty — it was a lifelong calling.
The Indian Army’s Counter Insurgency Force (Romeo) accorded full military honours to Choudhary at his last rites in his native village of Murrah, Poonch. His mortal remains were transported by road, with the Army ensuring logistical support for the ceremony, which drew a large gathering well past midnight.
Soldiers shouldered the mortal remains as a mark of deep respect. A wreath-laying ceremony and a two-minute silence were observed in keeping with military tradition. The Army described Choudhary as a symbol of courage and unity, also paying tribute to the broader Gujjar-Bakerwal community for their enduring support to counter-terrorism efforts in the region.
Residents of Murrah and Kulali expressed heartfelt gratitude to the Army for its support, as an entire region came together to mourn the loss of a man many called simply — their hero. |
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