They saved the day for the nation in Kabul…

 

They saved the day for the nation in Kabul…

Vivek Kumar Pandey

In Afghanistan since 2001, India offered intelligence and other forms of support to the coalition forces. After the Taliban, India established diplomatic relations with the newly elected democratic government of Afghanistan, provided aid and participated in Afghanistan's reconstruction efforts through the construction of roads, railways, electricity transmission lines, schools and hospitals. 

The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) was chosen by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to safeguard Indian Missions in Afghanistan. Highly trained ITBP Commandos were deployed since the year 2002. The Embassy of India (EOI), Kabul was protected by the ITBP Commandos since then.

Indo-Afghan relations strengthened in the wake of Afghanistan's persisting tensions and problems with Pakistan, which is widely believed to shelter and support the Taliban. Both India and Afghanistan also developed strategic and military cooperation against the insurgency. India pursued a policy of close cooperation with Afghanistan in order to gain friendly influence in Central Asia as well as to keep a check on Kashmiri militants that it claims are operating from the Afghanistan-Pakistan region. 

By 2007, India had pledged US $ 850 million to Afghan reconstruction efforts, the largest amount from any country without a military presence in Afghanistan, and later scaled up the aid to more than US $ 1 billion. Thousands of Indians started working on various reconstruction and developmental projects in Afghanistan, and they have often been subjected to attacks by Taliban insurgents. In November 2005, after an incident in which an Indian national was kidnapped and murdered, India deployed 400 jawans of the elite Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) to provide security for Indian nationals and the projects supported by India. By 2008, ITBP's presence in Afghanistan was steadily increased to over 400 personnel.

India's growing influence in Afghanistan has upset Pakistan and other pro-Taliban elements.  With the United States and other NATO members unwilling to sustain long-term commitments to Afghanistan, the Taliban see India as the only regional enemy capable of resisting them.

The brave ITBP commandos are known for the zeal, high quality training and professional skills of highest order. They keep an eye on all security related duties in the EOI, Kabul and other four consulates- Heart, Mazar-i-Sharif, Jalalabad and Kandhar.

The Taliban and the local Hakkani network of Afghanistan influenced by the ISI, never wanted the Indian interests to remain present in the Country. The threat on Consulates and the EOI was eminent and deadly by the passage of time.

The Indian embassy, which is in the center of Kabul, is located across the street from the office of the Interior Ministry of the Government of Afghanistan and is close to several other government buildings. The bombing was targeted on a busy, tree-lined street where people usually line up at the embassy gates to apply for visas to India.  On 7 July, 2008, an explosive-packed Toyota Camry, driven by the suicide bomber started chasing two Indian diplomatic vehicles and tried entering the embassy at around 08.30 AM. 

The two ITBP Commandos- Constable Ajay Singh Pathania and Constable Roop Singh were at the Embassy gate on duty. Hailing from Mandi, Constable Ajay Singh Pathania was a brave commando of the ITBP sub unit deployed at EOI, Kabul. Simlilarly, Roop Singh, a resident of Gurdaspur, Punjab is a highly trained commando of the group. Both were tasked to spearhead the security arrangements in and around the EOI, Kabul since their induction in the team.

The main entrance of the EOI, Kabul was vulnerable due to civil traffic towards the office due to many official work related to visa and other issues of both Afghanistan and Indian Citizens. Every early morning, there was movement of vehicular and pedestrian traffic to the close circles of the Embassy gates.

CT/GD Roop Singh was manning the barrier of the Main gate of the Embassy while CT/GD Ajay Singh Pathania was on sentry duty at the Main Gate. The Land rover vehicle carrying the Indian defence attaché Brig R. D. Mehta and Counsellor Shri V. Venkateshwara Rao approached the gate to enter. CT/GD Ajay Singh Pathania spotted the white Toyota Camry directly behind the Land rover was suspicious. He shouted at Ct Roop Singh not to lift the anti bomb hexa barrier at any cost. Ct Roop Singh reacted and did not lift the barrier.

The lone fidayeen attacker in the Car had now left no option. Every second was crucial as both ITBP Commandos started moving tactically towards the suspicious vehicle. Within a second, the Toyota Camry rammed into the Land rover resulting in a huge explosion, causing the death of Defence attaché and counsellor. Both CT/GD Roop Singh and Ajay Singh Pathania made the supreme sacrifice on the spot. Without caring for their lives, they prevented the tailing vehicle from entering the Embassy compound saving lives of the other Embassy staff.

The gates to the embassy were blown off and the walls of some buildings in its compound were damaged. A plume of smoke and dust was seen rising from the center of Kabul city, and the explosion was heard several miles away. Several nearby shopkeepers also became immediate victims of the attack, and the nearby Indonesian embassy also suffered damage. Kabul Police immediately sealed off the area. Total 58 people died while 141 were injured in this massive bombing.

Brigadier Ravi Datt Mehta, defence attaché, V. Venkateswara Rao, an Indian Foreign Service officer were killed in the blast. An Indian Air Force IL-76 aircraft was sent to Kabul to retrieve the four bodies.

The Ministry of External Affairs of Government of India was reported to be in touch with India's ambassador to Afghanistan, Jayant Prasad. The Indian ambassador and his deputy were inside the building complex at the time of the explosion but were not hurt. Indian External Affairs Minister, Pranab Mukherjee, called for an emergency meeting of officials in Delhi after the bomb attack to review security arrangements. The Prime Minister of India was also briefed about the attack.

The whole world knew that how ITBP commandos safeguarded the Indian Embassy at Kabul by sacrificing their lives.

Both Constables/GD Ajay Singh Pathania and Roop Singh displayed extreme courage and valour, dedication and devotion to duty, motivation and determination, averted a major disaster inside the Indian Embassy at Kabul and made the supreme sacrifice protecting the honor and sovereignty of the Nation. Both were awarded Kirti Chakra (Posthumously).

After this attack, over the years, the Indian Embassy at Kabul and other Consulates General of India in Jalalabad, Mazar-E-Sharif and Heart were attacked by the fidayeens, but on every occasion, the brave ITBP commandos repulsed them with appropriate response. Attacks happened through rockets, fidayeens through assault attempts near the buildings but all were thwarted.

The highly trained commandos of ITBP are still securing the Indian Embassy and Consulates General in the war torn country. The sacrifice of Ajay Singh Pathania and Roop Singh inspires the ITBP personnel in those trying duties.