Tahir Fazal, or Fazal Hussain Tahir Chaudhary, an unsung warrior, was laid to rest in a village in the Poonch-Rajouri sector of Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday, April 23, 2026. Tahir was not an ordinary man; he was a warrior who has left his memories to his loved ones and to the country, who will remember him forever for his bravery and courage. Popularly known as 'Bahadur-e-Hill Kaka', he died on April 22 due to heart failure at the age of 62. He had been working as a marble mason in Saudi Arabia, part of a steady migration from the hills of Poonch. The Indian Army paid tribute to Tahir Fazal, a courageous civilian hero of Operation Sarp Vinash.
Tahir Fazal dies of heart attack
Tahir Fazal died on April 22 of heart failure at the age of 62. Rashtriya Rifles Battalion, under the aegis of Headquarters Counter Insurgency Force (ROMEO), paid homage to Fazal Hussain Tahir Chaudhary, who played a crucial role in 2003, Operation Sarp Vinash. The Indian Army organised his last prayers event, facilitated the presence of a large crowd, and extended full support with the aim to ensure solemnity and honour.
Indian Army bid a solemn farewell to "Hero of Hill Kaka"
With deep sorrow, the Indian Army paid a solemn tribute to Tahir Fazal. White Knight Corps shared the last glimpse of Tahir Fazal on X (formerly Twitter) and wrote, "𝗔 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗟𝗮𝗶𝗱 𝗧𝗼 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝘁. With deep sorrow and immense gratitude, #IndianArmy bid a solemn farewell to 𝗧𝗮𝗵𝗶𝗿 𝗙𝗮𝘇𝗮𝗹, a valiant son of the soil who stood shoulder to shoulder with our own troops during Op Sarpvinash in 2003.
His 𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗶𝘁, 𝘂𝗻𝘄𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲, and strong bond with the Indian Army remain a testament to his exceptional character. His 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝗼𝘂𝗿 will forever be etched in our hearts. #IndianArmy stands steadfast with the bereaved family in this hour of grief."
Who was Tahir Fazal: A hero of Hill Kaka
Tahir Fazal was a courageous civilian fighter from Jammu and Kashmir who decided to return from Saudi Arabia in 2002 after he discovered that his brother was killed by a group of militants or terrorists. He soon left his job in Saudi Arabia and vowed to avenge his brother's death. Over a decade ago, he moved with his tribal community to the area which was occupied by Pakistani terrorists, only to reclaim their land, Hill Kaka.
It is a high-altitude area in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district which is located near the Line of Control (LoC). Hill Kaka, situated in the Pir Panjal range, had become a major terrorist stronghold with bunkers and transit hubs following the Kargil War. Following his brother's death, Tahir Fazal organised a group of local people only to form the Pir Panjal Scouts to fight back terrorists.
What was Operation Sarp Vinash?
Sarp Vinash (Snake Destroyer) was a major 2003 Indian Army offensive operation which destroyed militants' bunkers. Hill Kaka is the rugged region which was used by militants and terrorists for their secure bases, and to destroy those bases, Operation Sarp Vinash took birth. Troops from the 9 Para Special Forces, Romeo Forces (a specialised Counter-Insurgency Force), and other army units participated in the operation. Running in April-May 2003, the operation involved heavy forces, but it killed around 80 terrorists and destroyed more than 95 hideouts.
Paratrooper Sanjog Chhetri was honoured Ashok Chakra
Paratrooper Sanjog Chhetri was an Indian soldier who served in the 9 Para (Special Forces). Sanjog was subsequently stationed in J&K when Indian security forces received intelligence inputs of high-profile militants near the Kaka hill region. After careful analysis, the army decided to launch Operation Sarp Vinash. An assault team of 20 operators, which also included Chhetri, was sent to conduct the operation.
The team successfully cordoned the area quickly, but it soon turned into a gun battle initiated by militants hiding there. After observing that his team had been caught and compromised, Sanjog crawled almost 100 yards and killed a militant from close range. In an exchange of fire with other militants, Sanjog was hit by a bullet which left him wounded; he kept on fighting despite multiple shots.
He killed another insurgent in hand-to-hand combat, which bought time for soldiers, and the team was able to eliminate the rest of the militants. Sanjog Chhetri, who bravely fought and killed many terrorists, died. Chhetri was posthumously honoured with India's highest peacetime military decoration, Ashok Chakra, for his contribution to the operation.
What was the role of Tahir Fazil in Operation Sarp Vinash?
Tahir Fazil played a crucial role in Operation Sarp Vinash. He mobilised his community and made a group, Pir Panjal Scouts, to resist militants and initially funded the effort independently, but later he supported the Army in Operation Sarp Vinash. He guided the Indian Army to hidden terrorist bunkers through the dense and rugged forest of Pir Panjal only to detect hideouts and bunkers. Tahir and his team also worked with police officers in other operations to eliminate terrorists.
