Kaushal Kumar

Biography

Havildar Kaushal Kumar hailed from Deeng village in the Nowshera Tehsil of Rajouri district in Jammu & Kashmir. He was recruited into the 8th Battalion of the Jammu & Kashmir Light Infantry Regiment, a unit widely respected for its intrepid soldiers and numerous battle exploits. Over the course of his service he grew into a valiant and dedicated soldier committed to the defence of the nation. In 2018, Havildar Kaushal Kumar's unit was deployed in the Sunderbani sector along the Line of Control in Jammu & Kashmir. This stretch of the LOC is highly active and volatile, where ceasefire violations occur frequently and without warning, and where infiltration is often attempted under the cover of artillery fire or with the support of Pakistan's Border Action Team (BAT), which includes soldiers of the Pakistan Army's special forces. On 21 October 2018, a Border Action Team, along with some militants, launched an unprovoked attack on an Area Domination Patrol of 8 JAK LI. Havildar Kaushal Kumar was part of this patrol when it came under fire. The Indian Army retaliated and a fierce gun-battle ensued. Two of the intruders were eliminated during the operation and war-like stores were recovered. However, during the exchange of fire, Havildar Kaushal Kumar, along with Lance Naik Ranjeet Singh and Rifleman Rajat Kumar, was seriously wounded. All three were rushed to hospital, but despite the best efforts of medical staff, they later succumbed to their injuries. Havildar Kaushal Kumar laid down his life in the service of the nation at the age of 38.