Place of birth : Saran Dist (Bihar)
Service : Army
Last Rank : Havildar
Unit : 1 Para (SF)
Arm/Regt : The Parachute Regiment
Operation : CI & IS Ops
Martyrdom : August 10, 2024
Havildar Dipak Kumar Yadav
Havildar Dipak Kumar Yadav hailed from Laua Kala village in Baniapur Block in the Saran district of Bihar. Son of Shri Suresh Rai and Smt Kunwari Devi, he had an elder brother Bijendra Yadav who is also serving in the army. Like many youths from his village, he always nursed the idea of serving in the Armed Forces since his younger days. Following his passion, he eventually joined the Army after completing his initial education. He was recruited into the Parachute Regiment, an infantry regiment well known for its daredevil para commandos and numerous bold operations. Later he joined 1 Para (SF), the oldest unit of the Parachute Regiment Indian Army, specializing in Urban Warfare and tactical needs. The unit was raised in 1761 and was converted into a Special Forces battalion in 1978.
After serving for a few years, he got married to Ms. Anita Devi, and the couple had a son, Rohan Kumar. By the year 2024, he had completed substantial years of service and had been promoted to the rank of Havildar.
Anantnag Operation: 10 Aug 2024
During 2024, Havildar Dipak Kumar Yadav’s unit, 1 Para (SF) was deployed in the Anantnag district of J&K, close to the Line of Control (LOC). The unit troops were engaged in counter-insurgency operations on a regular basis as its Area of Responsibility(AOR) was affected by active militancy. On 10 Aug 2024, the security forces received credible information from intelligence sources about the presence of a group of terrorists in the mountainous forests of the Ahlan Gadole area of the Kokernag sector in the Anantnag district of J&K. Based on the intelligence inputs, the Army decided to launch a search and cordon operation along with its para commandos, J&K Police and CRPF. The operation was part of a larger effort to track down and neutralize a group of militants who had taken shelter in the dense forests. Accordingly, a joint operation was launched on the intervening night of 10 Aug 2024 along with other elements of J&K Police and CRPF. As planned, the joint team reached the suspected area of Anantnag district and launched the cordon and search operation.
As the search operation was underway, the terrorists, sensing danger, fired at the troops in a bid to escape. A fierce gun battle ensued thereafter, with a heavy exchange of fire from both sides. The gun battle, was fierce and fraught with risk as the terrorists were using automatic weapons and also taking advantage of the thick foliage of the forest. Undeterred by the risk involved, Hav Dipak Kumar and his comrades continued to chase the terrorists and pin them down. However, while doing so, Hav Dipak Kumar and five other soldiers got critically injured in the exchange of fire with the militants. The injured soldiers were taken to the Military Hospital for medical treatment, but Hav Dipak Kumar and another soldier Lance Naik Praveen Sharma ultimately succumbed to their wounds and were martyred. Hav Dipak Kumar Yadav was a brave and gritty soldier who laid down his life at the age of 30 years in the service of the nation.
Hav Dipak Kumar Yadav is survived by his father Shri Suresh Rai, mother Smt Kunwari Devi, wife Smt Anita Devi, and son Rohan Kumar.
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