As India is gearing up to celebrate it’s 70th Republic day on Saturday January 26, Lance Naik Nazir Wani, a militant-turned-soldier who laid his life during an anti-terror operation at Shopian in Kashmir in November last year, will be conferred with the Ashoka Chakra, India’s highest peacetime gallantry award.
Lance Naik’s Journey from a terrorist to Army man
38-year-old Wani from Ashmuji in Kulgmam, was part of a number of anti-terror operations in South Kashmir. Once an insurgent himself, Wani joined Indian Army in 2004 and became part of the Indian sponsored counter-insurgency militia in Kashmir – the Ikhwanis – and went on to join the forces in 2014.
Over the years, Lance Naik Wani was involved in 17 big encounters and received the Sena Medal twice for his unwavering commitment to India.
Reportedly, his last operation was a fierce anti-terror operation in Shopian’s Batagund village. Wani, the two-time winner of the Sena Medal was operating with 34 Rashtriya Rifles in November last year when some inputs were received regarding the presence of six Hizbul and Lashkar terrorists at Batagund village.
Wani and his team were responsible for blocking all escape routes of the terrorists. The Lakshkar-e-Taiba terrorists breached the inner cordon, firing and lobbing grenades.
Undeterred, Wani held his ground and after a fierce close range exchange, killed one terrorist. Then he moved to a house where another terrorist was hiding and engaged him in hand-to-hand combat. He sustained multiple bullet injuries but managed to kill the second terrorist as well. All six terrorists were killed in that operation. He succumbed to his injuries in a hospital later. Before being taken to the burial, Wani was given a 21-gun salute.
Army sources described Lance Naik Wani as “a legend in the fauji circles”.
