The early 2000s had a significant period for Jammu and Kashmir. The state was a battlefield – terrorist attacks were growing amidst the feelings of fuel by different leaders, and political doubt to the rest of the country made things worse. It was during this unstable phase that Narendra Nath Dhar Dubey, an officer of the Border Security Force, was posted on the ground zero in Kashmir while protecting the citizens.
On December 13, 2001, Democracy, Parliament of The Heart of India, was attacked by five Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists and masterminds, Rana Tahir Madam, alias Ghazi Baba, became the most wanted of India.
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With the end of his encounter in 2003, the operation of tracking and hunt of Ghazi Baba lasted for two years, making it one of the most important anti -terrorism operations in India’s recent history, but a story that remained unknown to a large extent for almost two decades. NN Dubey, an important person in the operation to kill Gaizi Baba spoke to NDTV, shared the untold story of the encounter and how his shirt saved his life.
Ghazi Baba was the mastermind of the 2001 Parliament attacks
‘A difficult phase for security forces’
A Deputy Inspector General of Narendra Nath Dhar Dubey, a Deputy Inspector at BSF, gave a reference to the situation in the region in the early 2000s, in the era of ambush bomb blasts and attacks on civilians.
“Millennium started since 2000 to handle terrorism in Kashmir has been very difficult for security forces. We (security forces) were facing a versatile battle as it was the stage when the era of suicide attacks began in Kashmir,” Mr. Dubey said.
The official said the Delhi Police, Special Cell, Army and BSF were on hunting to track Gazi Baba as attacks on security forces and citizens were a part of the module. The official said that “the maximum police murders in Jammu and Kashmir took place between 2001 and 2003, and protecting the citizens, the jawans (soldiers) were important because any casualties had influence”.
Ghazi Baba, who was from Pakistan, was one of the most dreaded terrorists working in the state. He mastered Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, Parliament attacks and two car blasts at the Army Headquarters in Srinagar. He was also allegedly involved in the kidnapping of six foreigners in Pahalgam in 1995.
Mr. Dubey said that getting local support was another challenge because there was a fear that “you could be killed by terrorists”, and in the case of Ghazi Baba, it was very much needed because he chose one of the difficult areas of Kashmir – he cannot go to hide the goal, Zakura and Troll Mountains and kill small soldiers.
NN Dubey, in his fighter uniform, a kalashnikov holding
Photo Credit: Narendra Nath Dhar Dubey
He said, “The area is difficult, and it was close to the Line of Control and if you want to find a person then many battalions are used to include a large operation. It was physical, topographically and geographically difficult task,” he said, “he said,”
The Border Security Force was not only the patron of the border, but also fought terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir from the late 1980s. The force had established well in the region for more than 15 years, to carry out its operations with the Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police, before handing over the Central Reserve Police Force in 2005.
The role of BSF has been reduced to a great extent despite a strong leg in the region, when special units of the army, such as the nation’s rifles, were not established until 1997. The force also played an important role in the release of Rubaiya Saeed, daughter of former Home Minister Mufti Mohammad Saeed, who was abducted by JKLF terrorists in 1989.
‘We found it in an unprepared position’
At a time when drones and advanced monitoring and reconnaissance system were non-existence, because they are now, there was heavy dependence on human intelligence, especially in the dense forests of Kashmir. The challenges were not only geographical for BSF, but also logistic.
Mr. Dubey, who was in front of the action, stated that “in the late 90s, the maximum resources had Maruti Gypsy and Tata vehicles. And there were no bulletproof vehicles. Therefore, how did we improve the vehicle? Gypsy, there was no bulletproof plate at the back and front end.”
“Bulletproof jackets were not in sufficient numbers in those days. The person who entered the area of tracing and killing had a jacket. Helmets were 100%, and in the first phase, there were no rocket launchers or automatic grenade launchers. They later came in 1997.” The BSF was physically establishing a foot in this field, and Mr. Dubey said, “Knowing the details of every village, area, area of those who were important about surrender and sympathetic individuals, etc.”
Following the Parliament attacks, the Delhi Police arrested an accused, who gave information about a place where other handlers were allegedly hiding. The police recall the place in a helicopter.
Mr. Dubey shared that the BSF had arrested Jaish’s Deputy Chief, who had a full consideration of the terror of the terrorists.
“We worked it very carefully, and invested about two and a half days to zero about two and a half days, where Ghazi Baba must have been hiding. We chose a very strange hour, which ran to run to raid on his hideout without permission to run away … We raided the post of the house at midnight and found him in a very unpublished position.”
Stuck with all sides, no one is possible to escape
“He was not sure we would have an accurate idea where he was hiding … and we trapped him inside his den, all the rushing routes were covered and there was no other option but to come back to him,” Mr. Dubey said, who was commanding the operation and leading in front. The officer was the first to enter the house and was welcomed by a volley of bullets and grenades.
The soldiers discovered the land and the first floor. On reaching the second floor, he found the house empty, but Mr. Dubey suspected when he saw two wardrobes. He ordered his men to kill the mirror fixed on the wardrobe. On killing it, a trapped door opened, and the terrorists set fire.
“Everything happened in the speed of electricity, but we did not give anyone a chance to get into a defensive position; everything was just frontal.” In Gunfite, BSF lost constable Balbir Singh, a young soldier who jumped in front of Mr. Dubey when the terrorists opened fire on their commanding officer. Mr. Dubey also suffered several bullet injuries.
Mr. Dubey had a broken hand, a bullet wound in his leg and armpit. The officer led his men despite serious injuries.
He said that his “situation at that time was bad, but before we could find all these injuries, Ghazi Baba and his colleague Rashid Bhai were killed … Rashid, a terrorist from Pakistan, was killed in the process of escape from one of the balconies.” Ghazi Baba was killed when the hideout exiting Nurbagh, Srinagar.
BSF found a 20 RDX bomb, 22 detonators, four rockets and a satellite telephone from Ghazi Baba’s whereabouts.
Remembering Constable Balbir Singh – a brave soldier
Balbir Singh came from Sheikhti region of Rajasthan. He was a young soldier in the early 20s, the father of a one-year-old child and the father of a hero who lived up to the motto of BSF-‘Life Payant Kartavya’ (Duty to Death).
Remembering Balbir Singh, Mr. Dubey said, “Balbir was very young and had a one -year -old child exactly two days before the operation, and he came back to call me and he was just returning from leave and he was not part of my team for the operation … That day he wanted to contact the battalion Hander Major and the next morning when we were ready for him and I was the next morning.
Mr. Dubey and Constable Singh suffered injuries when the terrorists started firing, but Balbir Singh disregarded his security, jumped in front of his commanding officer and jumped bullets to save them and opened fire and when a terrorist tried to flee and set fire to Mr. Dubey; Constable Singh suffered injuries in his stomach and was killed in action.
Balbir Singh was posthumously awarded the Shaurya Chakra, India’s third largest Mayurala Bravery Award. NN Dubey was honored with the Kirti Chakra, the second largest Mayurla Bravery Award.
President APJ Abdul Kalam apprised NN Dubey at a function of Rashtrapati Bhavan.
‘It was very lucky’
Mr. Dubey suffered eight bullet injuries on his body and his arm shattered. He showed the flexibility of a soldier in front of the action. The officials survived the death, when the bullets pinned Steel’s praise roll on his shirt and saved his chest and his life.
Mr. Dubey, a war-rich soldier, was awarded the praise role (DGCR) of the Director General for his outstanding service. The 1×1 steel insignia is pinned into the shirt and is worn as a badge of respect. On the night of Operation, Mr. Dubey was wearing a shirt, in which DGCR pinned his uniform, at the top of which he wore his paraketd. He was shot in the arm several times, but was confused about how he did not kill his chest.
Mr. Dubey said, “I was taken to the hospital … The next day, when I came back with my anesthesia effect, I could not understand. On the third day, I was just wondering why these 2-3 shots should have been on the chest next to me. By Operation Theater.”
Bullet marks on Mr. Dubey’s uniform. He suffered eight bullet injuries in the encounter.
“There was a pin in a blood-dominated uniform. Washaramman washed it and pierced it with a pin in his hand. He gave it to his wife. So, the entire plate of PIN was crushed. I was fortunate enough that my full chest-left area was protected, and the bullets were deformed in the side. So, it was a very lucky.”
Narendra Nath Dhar Dubey, the life of the Kirti Chakra, is being presented on the big screen, in which Emraan Hashmi has played the BSF officer who took his men in front of action to kill Ghazi Baba. Based on true events, the film ‘Ground Zero’ became the first film to premiere in Srinagar after 38 years.
