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Digendra Kumar (2883178A)
Only Indian soldier who admitted beheading
2 Rajputana Rifles, Maha Vir Chakra, was commander of the Light Machine Gun Group during his company's assault on Tololing feature in Dras Sector. The objective was to capture a well-fortified enemy post located in a treacherous high altitude terrain at over 15000 feet. Major Vivek Gupta, 2 Rajputana Rifles, and his Company was given the task of recapturing Point 5490.
On 13 June 1999, when the Assault Group was nearing its objective it came under effective enemy fire of a well-concealed universal machine gun and heavy machine gun leading to heavy casualties in the Assault Group. Naik Digendra Kumar was hit by a bullet in his left arm. Undaunted and unmindful of his own injury, Naik Digendra Kumar kept firing with one hand and brought down effective and accurate Light Machine Gun fire on the enemy. His accurate fire kept the enemy's head down while his own men advanced towards the objective. Finally, under his effective covering fire, own troops physically assaulted the enemy position and cleared it after a hand to hand fight. Despite being seriously wounded, it was due to his courageous action that the Assault Group could finally capture the objective.
The importance of this victory cannot be underestimated. Till then the daily sight of men coming down the mountains carrying their dead comrades was a distressing sight. To the men stuck on various points in mountains the taunting of the Pakistani troops had left them feeling impotent. Now the Army had got a major victory followed by a string of successes. It meant that the Pakistanis could be beaten in spite of all the odds. Once again Indian soldiers with their fierce determination, living on so little achieved the impossible. Retaking Tololing was truly the turning point of the war.
The role of Digendra in Kargil conflict was very crucial. In the Kargil war the first and foremost work was to recaptured the top of Toaloling. This task was entrusted to the 2 Rajputana Rifles. General Malik called a darbar of the Rajputana Rifles at Gumri. All were asked plans to free the hill Toaloling. Digendra stood up and introduced himself - I Digendra Kumar, known as cobra, soldier of the 2 Rajputana Rifles, The Best commando of the Indian Army. I have got a plan through which our victory is certain.
Digendra told him his plan that he needs 100 meters of Russian rope that should weigh 6 kg and can bear 10 tonnes. We also needed Russian nails which can be easily put in the rocks. We also need injections of high power that can remove fatigue and provide courage. With this much of material I will climb the hill in the night and put the rope upto hill top with the help of nails. The way is a formidable and inaccessible but I have examined with the telescope and tested well.
In the evening of 10 June 1999 cobra Digendra hugged his colleagues. Seeing the dreadful path and the task, all had in mind that the cobra and fellow colleagues will not come alive from the mission. They understand it probably was the last meeting. It was night-time. There was deadly silence in the hills except the blasts. There was snow and snow all around. Slowly and slow with cautious steps the cobra Digendra and his companions moved ahead with military goods. They put nails in the rocks and then tied the rope. When tired halfway took the injection. When the hands of the Digendra stopped working, he took grip of the rope with the teeth, both hands left open in the sky as if their life is in the hands of God. Down below was a pit 5000 feet deep. With crawling, they began to move toward the goal. At many moments they faced as if the death had come, but saved. After 14 hours of hard labour they reached the top of Tololing and felt the greatest pleasure. After all, the entire journey was with a rope. They reached back the battalion with the hanging rope.
At about 11 a.m. on June 12, 1999, General Malik encouraging Digendra said, "Son! Accept congratulations of V. P. Malik 48 hours in advance of our success. Son! If we win the Kargil, Malik himself will bring breakfast for you tomorrow morning. "
According to the plan to free the hill Tololing commando team included Major Vivek Gupta, Subedar Bhanwar Lal Bhakar, Subedar Surendra Singh Rathor, CHM Yash Vir Singh Tomar, Naik Surendra Singh, Naik Chaman Singh Tewatia, Lans Naik Bachchan Singh, Rfn Jashvir Singh, Havaldar Sultan Singh Narwar and Digendra Kumar.
Pakistani army had made 11 bunkers on the Tololing hill top. Digendra was to target first and the last 11th bunkers. Rest were to target the remaining 9 bunker. They moved up with ammunition.
Kargil was full of the icy wind blows. There was dense darkness and the inaccessible ways to terrify the group. The sudden blasts were heart trembling. Except the death – there was nothing to see. They started climbing hill along the rope fixed on nails in the rock. Crawling Digendra reached unknowingly where there sat the enemy and had put a machine gun. Holding the stones Digendra was moving ahead. When the blood in the body began to be frozen they started taking power injections. Digendra’s hands suddenly touched a barrel of a machine gun with which the enemy was throwing the ball and it had become pretty hot. Perceiving the presence of enemy, he removed the barrel and within moments threw a grenade in the bunker where there was explosion and a loud voice came from inside - "Allah ho Akbar, the attacks of infidels !!!".
Digendra hit the target perfectly. The first bunker began to fire and was reduced to ashes. From the behind there was firing by Artillery tanks and 250 commandos. Pak Army had also been playing an equal share. Cobra’s colleagues did the intense firing but they were not able to move. The firing cannons were made to fire a meter above. Digendra was badly wounded. Three bullets had hit in the chest of cobra Digendra. One leg was badly wounded. Top faced 18 bullets. The cobra’s pitthu had been reduced to sieve. His one shoe was missing, pant and shirts were reduced to the pieces. Digendra’s LMG was also missing from his hands. The body refused to do anything but the brave men had not lost the courage. He did forthwith the primary treatment to prevent blood flow.
The Pak Army Major Anwar Khan sitting on top of the hill was roaring. The roar of Anwar Khan brought Digendra to senses and arouse his courage.
When he saw behind he found that Subedar Bhanwar Lal Bhakar, Lance Naik Jasvir Singh, Naik Surendra, and Naik Chaman Singh had taken the last breaths. Digendra was given pistol by the Lans Naik Bachhan Singh, Havaldar Sultan Singh Narwar gave the grenade and then wavering mother’s Chunari they took last bade. Major Vivek Gupta, bravely faced the enemy, but as he took support of stones, he was hit with bullet in the head, the soil became red with his blood and he slept in earth mother's lap for ever. Rathor gave his pistol and ammunition and died. This way all the colleagues of Digendra had received martyrdom.
Digendra had some courage and then hurled grenades in other bunker and doing so – he destroyed all bunkers. He threw 18 grenades in 11 bunkers. Major Anwar Khan suddenly came just in front. Anwar Khan was shot on his pistol that fell away, and it was the last bullet in Digendra’s pistol. Digendra tried to shoot with the pistol but to vane. He had to regret. Digendra jumped on Anwar Khan. Both rolled along for a while. Anwar Khan tried to run away, but Digendra picked him with neck. Digendra jumped and kicked on the back of Khan. Khan fell in a ditch and started to cry in pain. Digendra was wounded but picked Major Anwar Khan with his hair, cut his neck and hailed Mother India.
It was only a coincidence that a U.S. satellite passes over the top of Tololing at that moment to find that a young beard man binding scarf around his head with the cut head of Major Anwar Khan in his hand was trying to put Indian flag and hailing Mother India. The satellite captured this file photo.
Thus Digendra with great difficulty could reach and recapture top of the hill and put the Indian tri-colour flag on 13 June 1999 at four O’clock in the morning.
The Indian Army reached Tololing peak early in the morning and found heaps of dead soldiers. The Indian tri-colour flag was hoisted and on its side was Digendra in unconscious state with cut head of Major Anwar Khan of the Pakistan Army in his hand. Digendra was carried to Military Hospital and put in Cobra hut. The Prime Minister of India Mr Atal Bihar Bajpai and the President of India Mr K R Narain visited Cobra and congratulated him for his bravery.
