3 Review(s)

Lieutenant Manoj Kumar Pandey took part in a series ofboldly led attacks during ‘Operation Vijay’, forcing back theintruders with heavy losses in Batalik including the captureof Jaubar Top. On the night of 2/3 July 1999 during theadvance to Khalubar as his platoon approached its finalobjective, it came under heavy and intense enemy fire fromthe surrounding heights. Lieutenant Pandey was tasked toclear the interfering enemy positions to prevent his battalionfrom getting day lighted, being in a vulnerable position. Hequickly moved his platoon to an advantageous position underintense enemy fire, sent one section to clear the enemypositions from the right and himself proceeded to clear theenemy positions from the left. Fearlessly assaulting the firstenemy position, he killed two enemy personnel and destroyedthe second position by killing two more. He was injured on theshoulder and legs while clearing the third position.Undaunted and without caring for his grievous injuries, hecontinued to lead the assault on the fourth position urging hismen and destroyed the same with a grenade, even as he got afatal burst on his forehead. This singular daredevil act ofLieutenant Manoj Kumar Pandey provided the critical firmbase for the companies, which finally led to capture ofKhalubar. The officer, however, succumbed to his injuries.Lieutenant Manoj Kumar Pandey, thus, displayed mostconspicuous bravery, indomitable courage, outstandingleadership and devotion to duty and made the supremesacrifice in the highest traditions of the Indian Army.