J&K cop volunteered to fight terrorists for 14 years, then again at Handwara

SOURCE: HT

Sageer Ahmed Pathan, the police officer who made the supreme sacrifice in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district on Saturday evening, had volunteered to join the Special Operations Group of Jammu and Kashmir Police nearly 14 ago. When a team of four army officers and jawans led by Colonel Ashutosh Sharma decided to walk into the Handwara house to pull out the family that was believed to have been held hostage, Pathan alias Qazi stepped forward. Like he always had.

That was the last anyone saw of him, alive. Pathan was also the natural choice to join the risky mission.

The 41-year-old, a father of three daughters and a son, had been the go-to man for many in the 21 Rashtriya Rifles, the army’s counter-insurgency unit. He was not only courageous but was also familiar with the district. This was his home.

Pathan was born in Trad village of Kupwara district’s Karnah tehsil that is located right along the Line of Control in 1978. He grew up around this place and joined the J&K Armed Police in 1999.

In 2006, he made the switch and volunteered to join the Special Operations Group, the specialised anti-militancy team. He was good at his job. So good that in the next 14 years, he landed himself three out-of-turn promotions and a bunch of awards and commendation certificates.

Director General of Jammu and Kashmir Police Dilbag Singh said during his posting in SOG, he led various successful anti-terror operations.”In recognition of his immense contribution, he was granted three out-of-turn promotions and he rose from the rank of a constable to sub-inspector over the years,” he said. Pathan, or Qazi as many called him, honoured with Police Medal for Gallantry in 2011, Sher-i-Kashmir Police Medal for Gallantry in 2009, besides DGP Commendation Medal and GOC-in-C, Northern Command Commendation Disc.

Pathan was incharge of the SOG team that accompanied the 21 Rashtriya Rifles and the district police when the operation to search the terrorists was launched. ”He was part of the original team which went in to evacuate the civilian inmates in the target house who were taken hostage by the hiding terrorists,” a Jammu and Kashmir police statement said.

“The team could safely rescue the inmates but came under heavy fire from the terrorists, during the evacuation process and attained martyrdom,” the statement said.

 

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