A frigid battleground next to the Tiger Hill

Kargil War, the bloodiest conflict in the history of India and Pakistan was the culmination of many small battles fought over several Army posts and military barracks. Indian soldiers overcame incredible difficulties to push back the intruders. However, many of these combat points remain unexplored even today. Ahead of the 20th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas, DNA got first-hand experience of one such peak – the Sando Top.

Rising 14,000 feet above the sea level in the Himalayas, Sando Top lies in the frigid region of Dras sector. The peak was considered the most vulnerable during the Kargil War due to its proximity to the Tiger Hill, the most significant battleground during Indo-Pak armed conflict. One can see the snow cap of Tiger Hill.

Tiger Hill is known to have been the turning point of Operation Vijay that started in May 1999. The Pakistani forces had captured the hill with sharp conical features that stands at an elevation of over 16,000 feet, and constantly bombarded the Indian units that were rapidly advancing. The enemy troops also fired on Indian soldiers deployed on NH1 Alpha, the only motorable road between Zojila and Kargil.

But the Indian Army was unstoppable. In the early hours of July 3, 1999, the Ghatak Platoon used ropes to access the hill through its most difficult North-Eastern approach and took the enemy by surprise. The rest is history.

Sando Top is one of the most inhospitable points, where forces operate at temperatures ranging from -5 to -9 degrees Celsius in summers. During winters, it turns deadlier, but the soldiers stand guard, their head held high.

Zee Media Newsroom