Niranjan's lungs got punctured due to the impact of the blast of a grenade that was kept in the pocket of a slain terrorist and the officer died before being taken to hospital.
His body will be taken to his native village in Kerala's Palakkad district later in the day for cremation.
A massive multi-tier combing operation to track down a group of infiltrating terrorists continued for the fourth consecutive day in forested areas of Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district. The operation, involving the army, NSG, BSF, police, Special Operation Group, and CRPF, is supported by helicopter, UAVs, drones, bulletproof vehicles, and sniffer dogs. The operation was launched on Sunday evening following an encounter between security forces and terrorists hiding in a nursery. Security agencies have questioned several persons in various areas and picked up three suspects for questioning.
The National Security Guard lost an experienced counter-Improvised Explosive Device officer to a deadly booby trap in the Pathankot terror attack as the terrorists used an innovative technique whose antidote was not included in the Standard Operating Procedure of the elite counter-terror force.
'Had they struck on the night of the 1st, there would have been hell to pay and had they been able to sneak further in, we would have had a greater problem,' says Lieutenant General H S Panag (retd), the former Northern Army Commander.
'Ajit Doval has done a splendid job in handling the Pathankot attack and certainly helped save heavy destruction of critical air force assets,' says Abhay Jere.
As many as 29 explosions were recorded after the last terrorist was neutralised, giving an impression of continuing pitched battles!
A contingent of about 140 personnel in black overalls, balaclava headgear and carrying special assault rifle MP-5 added dashing sheen to the parade.
A day after National Security Guard Lt Col Niranjan Kumar and Garud Commando Gursewak Singh were slain in the Pathankot air base attack, their remains were brought home for the last rites. Locals, family members and politicians gathered to pay their respects to these heroes.
Two teams of the 11th Special Rangers Group, stand withdrawn from VVIP security duties and have been tasked to undertake counter-terror operations.
As counter-terrorism operations at the Pathankot air base continued for the second consecutive day, the Union government on Sunday said it was unsure if more terrorists were still holed up.
The operation to fully sanitise the Pathankot Air base, which was attacked by six terrorists last Saturday, is "close to completion" with the personnel of the National Security Guard, the army and the Garud commandos of Indian Air Force undertaking the task on the sprawling complex.
The two-and-a-half-year-old Belgian Malinois dog and his handler have been recommended for bravery decoration by the NSG headquarters for displaying 'raw courage and dedication to duty' in the face of extreme threat and danger.
Intermittent blasts and exchange of fire to neutralise two more terrorists continued on Sunday night at Air Force Station in Pathankot, Punjab where four terrorists were killed, seven security men lost their lives and 17 persons were injured in the over 40-hour-long operation.
The operation to fully sanitise the Pathankot base, which was attacked by six terrorists last Saturday, is in its final phase.
In a faux pas, NSG Chief R C Tayal on Tuesday claimed his men defused an Improvised Explosive Device recovered from high-security DRDO Bhawan after "no other agency" could handle the situation, but it later turned out to be a bomb of World War II vintage.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday visited the strategic Pathankot Air Force base for a first-hand assessment of the situation in the aftermath of the terror attack last Saturday.
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Tuesday visited the family of soldiers killed in the Pakistani terrorist attack at the air base in Pathankot.
The decision for their deployment in counter-terror operations was taken by the Union Home Ministry recently and they will be put to use soon after their acclimatisation programme is over, the officials said.
'Inept handling by the National Security Advisor transformed what should have been a short counter-terrorist operation in Pathankot into an apparent debacle.'
Nitin Gokhale reports on how quick decisions saved a repeat of a Mumbai-like carnage at the key Punjab air force base.
The NIA on Monday registered a case to probe the conspiracy of Pakistan-based terrorist group, believed to be Jaish-e-Mohammed, behind the strike at the Indian Air Force base in Pathankot in Punjab.
A scare was created on Wednesday after a man with a bag was spotted moving in a suspicious manner outside the Pathankot Air base.
The government on Tuesday announced that only four terrorists had entered the Pathankot Air Force station to carry out the strike that left eight people dead. This is contrary to a statement made by Home Minister Rajnath Singh on March 4 when he had said that charred remains, apart from four bodies of terrorists, were found at the debris after security forces searched the Pathankot airforce station when the operation ended.
Pathankot residents expressed anger over frequent cross-border strikes and sought enhanced border security and strengthening of the police set-up.
A grenade-dropping drone, 3D fly-on-the-wall radar to see through a 20-m-thick wall and a 'dogo robot' armed with remote pistol are some of the latest weaponry provided to the National Security Guard to undertake lethal counter-terror operations with a punch of stealth.
The massive combing operation at the sprawling Air Force station in Pathankot ended on Friday, seven days after six terrorists struck.
The terrorists who had stormed the Pathankot air base were "well trained" and "strongly stocked" with arms and ammunitions to inflict heavy damage to the assets stationed there and that explains the long counter-terror operations going on against them, top government sources said.
After receiving sanction under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the NIA will name Azhar, his brother Rauf Asghar, and handlers of four terrorists -- Qashif Jan and Shaid Latif in the chargesheet to be filed soon, official sources said.
They batted for better coordination between the Indian Air Force and the Army in guarding the air bases in case of exigencies like the one at Pathankot in Punjab.
Lt Colonel E K Niranjan was undertaking a mopping up and render safe procedure on the encounter spot when a blast occurred and splinters and sharpnels hit the officer fatally.
The NSG, aided by the Garuds and the Army, conducted a chain of surgical 'step by step' operations to eliminate the six terrorists.
Given the magnitude of the operation of the air base, the operation will continue to be concluded till we are able to fully render the base safe.
Parrikar announced that all those seven security personnel killed during the attack will be treated as martyrs that will entitle them to all the benefits available to 'battle casualty' as in war-like situations.
Wang and Swaraj also discussed issues relating to annual BRICS summit which will be hosted by India in Goa in October.
A pillar had encroached on a storm water drain at Doddabommassandra near Vidyaranyapura and officials had marked the portion for demolition.
The terrorists who attacked the IAF base in Pathankot came in groups of four and two and the bigger group was ticked off by their Pakistani handler as to why they have fallen behind in reaching the target when their accomplices had already entered the complex.
A five-member JIT from Pakistan reached Pathankot on Sunday to carry out a probe into the attack at the IAF base at Pathankot.
Ahead of the visit of Pakistani Special Investigating Team, likely to take place in the last week of this month, the NIA sent the Letters Rogatory, a legal document sent through the special court asking details about the phone numbers dialled by the four terrorists.
Trouble is brewing for government in the monsoon session of Parliament, which is expected to start next month, with the Congress on Monday hinting at stacking up ammunition on issues like failure at the Nuclear Suppliers Group, terror strikes and diatribes of Subramanian Swamy.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances