We might have come across stories of heroic efforts by security personnel in various parts of the country during combat operations against terrorists. But there are some individual stories of bravery which remain a source of inspiration for all of us.
One such story is of 31-year-old Lance Naik Mohan Nath Goswami who hailed from Indira Nagar village in Haldwani Tehsil. He joined the elite Para Commandos in the year 2002.
Lance Naik Goswami, a Special Forces Commando of the Indian Army who laid down his life while battling militants in Handwara on Thursday, September 3 had eliminated 10 militants in a span of 11 days before making the supreme sacrifice in Kashmir.
“In the last 11 days, he was actively involved in three counter-terrorism operations in the Kashmir Valley in which 10 terrorists have been eliminated and one captured alive,” Udhampur-based Defence Spokesman Colonel SD Goswami said.
The spokesman said Lance Naik Goswami volunteered to join the elite Para Commando outfit of the Army in 2002 and went on to gain the reputation of being one of the toughest soldiers of his unit — “no small feat in an outfit that boasts of being one among the best in the world”.
The Lance Naik volunteered for all operational missions undertaken by his unit and was a part of numerous successful counter-terrorist operations in Jammu and Kashmir. The first operation was conducted in Khurmur, Handwara, on August 23. The operation resulted in elimination of three hardcore LeT terrorists of Pakistani origin.
Subsequently he volunteered a second back-to-back operation in Rafiabad, Kashmir. The operation was conducted over a period of two days on August 26 and 27. It witnessed a fierce gunfight that led to the elimination of three more LeT terrorists.
Lashkar-e-Taiba militant Sajjad Ahmad alias Abu Ubaidullah, resident of Muzzafargarh, Pakistan was captured alive in this operation.
Lance Naik Goswami breathed his last during an operation in the dense Hafruda Forest near Kupwara, but not before eliminating three terrorists in a heavy gun battle.