'Operation Bandar': Balakot airstrike's code name with a Ramayana connection
The world knows of India's successful airstrike on terror camps in Balakot this year and how it sent shockwaves in Pakistan. The arch-rivals turned jittery as they had no idea what was in store for them after the February 14 Pulwama suicide attack that killed 40 CRPF jawans. Obvious was its disacknowledgement of the powerpact action on a Jaish-e-Mohammed terror camp by India.
There was a lot of secrecy maintained by India before conducting the Balakot airstrikes. Months have passed, and operational details still remain confidential. However, it is for all to know that the Balakot airstrike mission was codenamed - 'Operation Bandar' - to maintain confidentiality.
"In order to maintain secrecy and ensure that the plans don't leak out, the Balakot operations were given the codename Operation Bandar," senior defence sources told ANI.
Many must be wondering why the codename 'Bandar'. Sources divulged that monkeys have always held a special place in India's war culture as seen in the epic Ramayana, where Lord Rama's lieutenant Lord Hanuman quietly sneaked into Lanka and destroyed the entire capital city of the demon Ravana.
It was on February 26 when the Indian Air Force sent its package of 12 Mirage 2000 fighter aircraft. They then crossed over into the Pakistani air space and carried out missile attacks on Jaish-e-Mohammed terror camp in Balakot town of Khyer Pakhtunkhwa province.
In the attack carried out by IAF, pilots dropped 5 Spice 2000 bombs out of which four penetrated the rooftoops of the building in which the terrorists were sleeping.
It was at 3.30 am when the IAF carried out these attacks. Within a few minutes after dropping bombs on their designated targets, the IAF planes returned to their bases.
As per the Air Force briefings, 80 per cent of the bombs had been dropped successfully on their targets and had carried out the requisite damage to the enemy locations.
The operations were supported by the inidigenous Airborne Early Warning and Control Systems (AEW&C) plane Netra.
The Balakot airstrike was seen as a response to the February 14 Pulwama suicide attack, in which 40 jawans of the Central Reserve Police Force were killed. Jaish-e-Mohammed had claimed responsibility for the deadly attack.
(With inputs from ANI)
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