|
|
|
The Sequence of Events Nov. 18, 6 pm: Two militants fire at a picket of the 62 battalion of the CRPF, killing one and injuring three others, near Badamibagh. Quick Reaction Teams give chase. The militants run into the BSNL office in Indiranagar, taking hostage an unknown number of people By midnight, Nov. 18-19: Two companies of the army led by commanding officer Colonel P.C. Roy have taken up position. Colonel Roy, his second-in-command Lt Colonel Raghu Nair, company commanders Major J.P. Singh of 13 Rashtriya Rifles and Major Navneet Vats have asked their men to take positions and open fire only on specific orders and only at the building. A CRPF unit tells the army that militants have taken colleagues and two BSNL staffers hostage Nov. 19, 2.20 am: The army rescues seven paramilitary personnel from the building as troops engage the militants with small-arms fire. The militants are firing from the terrace and from the first floor Nov. 19, 4.30 am: Colonel Roy and another soldier is shot at. It is dark. The militants would not have known that they had hit the commanding officer. In such times, the troops have mostly taken position and are shielded from the fire but officers are exposed because they are mobile and supervising Nov. 19, 1 pm: Major Singh is injured and evacuated. The army fits explosives to the building. The militants continue to fire from the second and third floors. A wait and watch game continues with intermittent firing Nov. 20, 6.30 am: Major Vats of 32 Rashtriya Rifles is shot and makes the supreme sacrifice for the nation. The explosives in the building blast. The first floor is in flames. Soldiers enter the building, search for remaining hostages and militants Between 10 am and 3 pm: More explosives go off. The ground floor and an upper floor are burning. At 3.05 pm, the body of one militant is found. The building is brought down. |
