Jammu, Feb 22 : Displaying exceptional courage, an Army sniffer canine named ‘Tyson’ took the first bullet during an anti-terrorist operation in Kishtwar, enabling security forces to locate the presence of terrorists and successfully neutralise two of them, including a top commander of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) outfit, officials said on Sunday.
They told GNS that the encounter broke out in the Chatroo area after security forces launched a cordon-and-search operation based on specific intelligence inputs. “A joint team of the Indian Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police, and 2 Para Special Forces moved to comb the suspected hideout when terrorists opened fire.”
“At the forefront of the operation was Tyson, a trained K9 (canine) of 2 Para SF, tasked with leading the troops to the suspected location,” they said, adding as the team advanced, Tyson came under direct fire and was struck by a bullet in his leg, effectively taking the first hit of the encounter. “Despite being injured, the canine did not retreat and continued moving ahead, confirming the terrorists’ exact position and allowing troops to establish decisive contact.”
The officials credited his bravery as a crucial factor in the swift neutralisation of the militants. “Tyson was later evacuated from the encounter site and airlifted for specialised medical treatment,” they said, adding he is reported to be stable and recovering.
Notably, during the exchange of fire, two terrorists were killed. One of them has been identified as Saifulla, described as a top JeM commander who had previously managed to evade security forces on multiple occasions.
In a statement on X, the Army’s White Knight Corps said troops of CIF Delta, in coordination with J&K Police and the CRPF, dominated the encounter site with “tactical precision and resolute aggression.” Two AK-47 rifles and five magazines were recovered from the scene.
Search operations were continuing in the area at the time of filing this report. (GNS)
