Hav Sanjeev Kumar Rana

Havildar Sanjeev Kumar Rana was a brave soldier in the Indian Army who lost his life in Pathankot attack in Jan 2016. He was one among seven soldiers who sacrificed their lives defending the base.

Hav Sanjeev Kumar hailed from Sehwan village in Himachal Pradesh. His father, Rattan Rana, too had served in the Army before him. Hav Sanjeev Kumar retired from the Army in 2009 and later joined the Defence Security Corps (DSC), a force that takes care of the security of Defence Establishments. During 2016, he was posted at the Pathankot air base. He was married to Pinki Devi and had three children, two daughters, and one son. Hav Sanjeev Kumar’s family had settled down in Sehwan village in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh.

Pathankot Attack: 01 Jan 2016

On 01 January 2016, the Pathankot Air Force Station of the Indian Air Force was attacked by a heavily armed group. They were disguised in Indian Army uniforms and made use of the tall elephant grass in the Air Force Base for concealing their movement. Upon infiltrating the base, they advanced towards the area where the high-value asset vehicles were kept with an intention to cause the maximum damage. But they were soon intercepted by the Indian security forces. In the ensuing 15-hour gun battle, 4 attackers and two security force personnel from the Defence Security Corps were killed along with one commando of the elite IAF’s special Guard unit.

On 03 Jan, Lt Col Niranjan, who was commanding the Bomb Disposal Unit of the National Security Guard (NSG), was martyred during combing operations to sanitize the area for safe movement of troops. The combing operation was conducted jointly by the Army , NSG, IAF, paramilitary forces, and Punjab Police. The operation went on until the 5th of January when the last attacker was reportedly neutralized. In the entire exchange, 7 security personnel, one civilian and 4-6 attackers were killed. The operation launched to eliminate this threat by the India Army was called ‘Operation Dhangu’.

Hav Kumar got grievously injured in the attack and faced five bullets which hit him in the chest. He was taken to a military facility but soon succumbed to his injuries. Hav Sanjeev Kumar Rana was a brave soldier who rose to the occasion and laid down his life in the service of the nation.

• “It’s a tragedy not just for me but the entire nation. I may have lost my son but I can take pride as he fought the terrorists who had a plan to blow up the air force base and destabilise the nation. My sympathies for all men who lost their lives and did not allow the Pakistan-backed militants to harm the country. We are waiting for his body so that we could lay him to rest in the national tricolor,” said his father Rattan Singh, who like his son, had served the Army.