Major Suresh Suri, who died in a gun battle with militants at Baniyari in Bandipora on Wednesday, was a newlywed. In fact, he had celebrated his first marriage anniversary just a month ago, on August 20, at his camp and would have also celebrated his 30th birthday on October 5.
Responding to the call of duty in the best traditions of the army, Suri led his men of 13-Rashtriya Rifles (RR) from the front after receiving information about the presence of two dreaded militants in a house at Baniyari.
Suri engaged in a hand-to-hand combat with the highly-entrenched militants and in the process, laid down his life for the country. His buddy Naik Khushal Singh followed him in death.
The militants, Pasha and Musa of Hizbul Mujahideen and Lashkar-e-Taiba, were also killed in the 25-hour-long gunfight. Four other ranks, Majors Gautam Raj Reshi and Kamlesh Kumar, non-commissioned officer Mahipal Singh and Sepoy Naveen, were injured.
Commissioned in the army in December 2001 in 6-Kamoun Regiment, Major Suri was an instructor at the jungle warfare school in Vairengte, Mizoram. An expert in counter-terrorism, he was a junior command instructor in counter-insurgency.
“Major Suri of Rashtriya Rifles was a brave officer who led his men from the front. He was the best of the best in the army,” Lt Col JS Brar, the defence spokesman at Srinagar, said.
Major Suri was posted in 13-RR for the past one year and had been at the forefront of anti-militant operations in the Bandipora-Sumbal-Manasbal corridor.
“His wife had come here for a short stay but went back with his mortal remains,” Brar said.
The brave heart was bid a tearful adieu at 15 Corps headquarters with all ranks of the army paying floral tributes to the departed soul.
Army hits back
Barely 24 hours after losing an officer and a commando in a militant attack, the army struck back on Thursday, killing two top Hizbul and Lashkar commanders in Kulgam district of south Kashmir.
