Operation 'Sarp Vinash': How India Dealt With Terror Attacks In Jammu During 2003-04

The Hindu-dominated Jammu region of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) is now seeing a surge in ambushes and attacks by terrorists.

The attacks, which started in the Poonch-Rajouri region in 2021, have now spread to the districts of Reasi, Kathua and Doda in Jammu.

Just in the last month, Doda district alone has seen five ambushes and encounters. This is apart from the ambush on a bus ferrying pilgrims in Reasi, the ambush on an army convoy in Kathua, and a similar ambush on an Indian Air Force convoy in Poonch.

A total of 48 soldiers have been killed in the Jammu region over the last 32 months.

A similar situation occurred in 2003-04 when close to a hundred terrorists or more roamed the hilly regions of Poonch, particularly in the Hillkaka area, close to the town of Surankote.

In fact, the situation was much worse than it is now. The terrorists even used to play cricket with the locals of Surankote. The dense forests and hilly terrain provided perfect hiding spots for the terrorists.

The mountains of this region, rising from 5,000 to 7,000 feet, are very close to the Line of Control (LoC). If the terrorists are able to evade the first line of defence at LoC, using perhaps a nullah (small stream) then it easy going for them.

They have to hike just 15 kilometres in some places to reach these hills, where they can hide in the natural caves and vegetation.

The Poonch-Rajouri region is inhabited by the nomadic tribes of Gujjar-Bakarwals, who move from lower areas to upper reaches to graze their sheep. In winter, this region remains completely devoid of any humans.

It is during this time that the terrorists occupy ‘dhoks’ or temporary shelters made by the Gujjars and Bakarwals. (You can read more about Gujjars and Bakarwals in our previous coverage here.)

The operation to flush them out was named 'Op Sarp Vinash', in which both Corps, the Srinagar-based 15 Corps and the Nagrota-based 16 Corps, took part.

It began with 16 Corps inducting an entire infantry brigade — 163 Infantry Brigade — its reserve formation, into the region.

Simultaneously, helipads and support bases with the help of the IAF were constructed in the remote region. These helipads acted as supply and casualty evacuation locations. Intelligence was collected with the help of locals and Gujjars and Bakarwals.

The 9 Para Commando unit, which was already operating in the area, had some success and knew the area well, and was also used to gain intelligence.

The plan, according to Air Vice Marshal Arjun Subramaniam, a renowned historian and scholar, was to use 9 Para Commando soldiers as guides for the 163 Infantry Brigade.

The brigade would induct into their assigned areas with the help of 9 Para guides, at night, from all three sides, and commence search and destroy operations.

The terrorists who fled from the region were caught in the ambushes set up by the 15 Corps troops. The troops were inducted into the region after winter in the last week of March and the operation ended on 1 May 2003.

All in all, during the operation, 65 terrorists were killed, three arrested, and a large cache of wartime stores was recovered with the loss of five soldiers.

Now, with the surge in attacks and casualties, an operation like Sarp Vinash is the need of the hour. An operation like this should be coupled with increasing the cost on the Pakistani Army by targeting its senior officers who mastermind and promote terrorism rather than lower-or-middle level officers and soldiers, who are cannon fodder for them and whose deaths do not matter to the ones in control.