Operation Ginger: When Indian Army Killed 8 Pakistanis In 2011 Surgical Strike

A deadly surgical strike by the Indian Army in Pakistani territory in 2011 left at least eight Pakistani soldiers dead, with three of them decapitated, a report published on Sunday said.

Pakistani raiders had struck a remote army post in Gugaldhar in Kupwara district in Jammu and Kashmir on July 30, 2011. The attackers returned with the heads of Havildar Jaipal Singh Adhikari and Lance Naik Devender Singh of 20 Kumaon. A soldier of the 19 Rajput, who reported the attack, died in a hospital.

In revenge, the Indian Army planned "Operation Ginger" -- which turned out to be one of the deadliest cross-border raids across the LoC. The mission was finalised to spring an ambush on Police Chowki to inflict maximum casualty. The Indian troops launched the covert operation on August 30, 2011. About 25 soldiers, mainly Para Commandos, crossed the LoC stealthily.

Four Pakistani soldiers, led by a Junior Commissioned Officer, walked into the ambush. Mines were detonated, grenades lobbed and they were fired at. One Pakistani soldier fell into a stream that ran below. Indian soldiers chopped off the heads of the other three dead soldiers and also took away their rank insignias, weapons and other personal items.

Two more Pakistani soldiers rushed in after hearing the explosions. They were killed by a second Indian team waiting near the ambush site. Two other Pakistani army men tried to trap the second team. But a third Indian team covering them killed the Pakistanis, the daily said.

The operation lasted for about 45 minutes and the Indians headed back across the LoC, carrying the heads of Subedar Parvez, Havildar Aftab and Naik Imran. The severed heads were photographed and buried. Two days later, one of the senior most Generals in the command turned up and ordered the heads to be dug up, burnt and the ashes strewn into Kishenganga river.