The chill winds of south Kashmir claimed two of our bravest this week, turning a routine counter-terror hunt into a heartbreaking saga of sacrifice. Lance Havildar Palash Ghosh and Lance Naik Sujay Ghosh, elite warriors from the 5 Para Special Forces, attained veergati while battling a ferocious snowstorm in the Kishtwar Range of Kokernag, Anantnag district. The Indian Army’s Chinar Corps confirmed their tragic end late yesterday, after intense searches traced their bodies in the whiteout-ravaged forests – Ghosh’s on October 10, and Sujay’s today.
It started on the night of October 6-7, when the duo’s patrol team pushed deep into the Ahlan Gadol forests for a combing operation targeting militants hiding in the dense, high-altitude terrain. What began as a determined push against terror turned deadly as a sudden blizzard – dumping 6-8 inches of snow amid whiteout conditions – swallowed their communication lines. “Extreme weather met extreme resolve,” a Srinagar-based Army spokesperson shared in a poignant statement this morning around 9 AM. Rescue teams from multiple agencies, including NDRF and local police, braved the same gales for days, but the mountains held their toll. Palash, 32, from Murshidabad, West Bengal, was a veteran with prior stints in the Special Group, known for his unyielding grit. Sujay, 28, from the same state, was his steadfast comrade, both hailing from families that embodied quiet patriotism.
The Army’s tribute poured in via a heartfelt post from Chinar Corps on X around 10 AM: “Chinar Corps honours the supreme sacrifice of Bravehearts Lance Havildar Palash Ghosh and Lance Naik Sujay Ghosh, while conducting relentless counter terror operations in the Kishtwar Range of Kokernag battling extreme weather conditions. Their courage and dedication will forever inspire us.”
Lt Governor Manoj Sinha laid wreaths at a solemn ceremony in Srinagar by 1 PM
This tragedy, the 18th security loss in Jammu division this year, underscores the dual battle – man vs. militant, man vs. mountain. With PoK simmering (nine dead in protests last week), ops continue, but today’s loss tempers the fight with sorrow. For our Dogra families, where rivers like the Chenab carve stories of endurance, Palash and Sujay join the pantheon of the brave – their names etched in snow and stone. Salute, brothers. The nation weeps, but marches on.