Young Army Martyr Laid to Rest

New Delhi, Sept 28 (UNI) Army's young martyr Captain Vishal Bhandral -- victim to terrorist bullets in Jammu&Kashmir Tuesday last -- was cremated with full military honours here today.

Bhandral laid down his life in counter-terrorist action in village Samlar in Baramulla district (J&K) on September 26.

Capt Bhandral received his schooling in New Delhi and passed out thereafter from the National Defence Academy in December 2000 and was commissioned into the 11th Battalion of the Garhwal Rifles in December 2001.

Bhandral was an accomplished football player and a part of the Academy teams -- both at the National Defence Academy and the Indian Military Academy.

He received injuries in a counter-terrorist operation in the North-East in 2003. After recovering, he took up the challenging assignment of fighting terrorism in J&K as part of the Rashtriya Rifles.

When Capt Bhandral martyred, he was under orders of posting to Gwalior and was expected to be in Delhi today enroute to his new duty station.

A bachelor, the gallant officer is survived by a younger sister and his parents.

In the incident that took this gallant life, an Army column cordoned off a house on September 26 last based on specific information.

After the cordon was laid, the residents of the house were asked to come out and the terrorists told to surrender.

Immediately thereafter, one terrorist came out along with the family members of the house and started firing indiscriminately at the troops to escape from the cordon.

Since the militant was using civilians as a shield, the troops did not fire at the militant.

However, after securing the villagers, the militants and the house were again cordoned off and a heavy firefight ensued.

After about four hours of exchange of firing, two militants were killed. Two AK rifles, six AK magazines, one UBGL, five UBGL rounds and five hand-grenades were recovered.

During the initial fire by the militant who was taking cover of the villagers, Capt Bhandral received bullet injuries to which he succumbed.

UNI DG PK KP2043