OPERATION BLUE STAR IN PUNJAB-A brief recall...
Star is considered one of the most difficult operations ever undertaken by any army in the world. The Indian Army launched the operation in June 1984 to flush out militants led by Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale who had taken up arms and fortified themselves inside the Golden Temple complex in Amritsar, Punjab. The operation was carried out with the utmost caution and care to avoid damage to the sanctity of the temple.
The operation was a complex and daunting task for the Indian Army. The Golden Temple complex was spread over a large area, with a maze of rooms and alleys, and fortified by heavily armed militants. The soldiers had to navigate through this maze, under the constant threat of being ambushed by militants.
The Indian Army had to use minimum force and avoid firing towards the Harmandir Sahib and Akal Takht, two of the holiest shrines of the Sikhs. The soldiers had to take off their army boots and wear rubber canvas shoes to avoid damaging the marble floor of the temple. They had to maintain the sanctity of the temple while carrying out the operation.
The militants had positioned themselves in the basement and under the staircase, making it difficult for the soldiers to advance. The soldiers had to crawl on their bellies and move inch by inch to avoid being hit by bullets. The militants had also disconnected the electricity, plunging the temple into darkness, making it even more difficult for the soldiers to move around.
Despite the challenges, the soldiers of the Indian Army fought valiantly and succeeded in flushing out the militants. However, the operation came at a heavy cost. The 10 Guards battalion, which was the first to enter the temple complex, lost 19 men, and 53 were wounded, some maimed for life. The soldiers were hit mostly below the knees as the militants were positioned in the basement and under the staircase.
The soldiers tumbled down the stairs, bleeding with bullet injuries. The scenes were horrifying, with injured soldiers lying all around, and the temple complex strewn with dead bodies. The lives lost in the operation still haunt the soldiers who were a part of it.
In conclusion, Operation Blue Star was one of the most difficult and challenging operations ever undertaken by any army in the world. The Indian Army had to navigate through a maze of rooms and alleys, under constant threat from heavily armed militants, to flush them out from the Golden Temple complex. The operation was carried out with the utmost caution and care to avoid damage to the sanctity of the temple. The soldiers fought valiantly, but the operation came at a heavy cost, with many soldiers losing their lives and others being maimed for life. The operation serves as a cautionary tale of the horrors of violence and the need to maintain peace and harmony in society.
—
#indianarmy #operationbluestar #amristar #punjab #1984 #2023 #revisit #recollect #reflect #mindvoicenews