Indian Army dog Domino and his handler Lance Naik Lucky Kumar were awarded on-the-spot Northern Army Commendation Card by Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi for their role in tracking down a Pakistani terrorist in his hideout in the recent Rajouri encounter, Army officials said on Friday.
The dog helped the troops reach the hideout of terrorists by sniffing his blood trail in the Kalakote area after he had been injured in a gunfight.
"Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi Army Cdr, Northern Command visited Kalakote area in Rajouri and reviewed the operational situation. He was briefed on the recently conducted operation in which two hardcore terrorists were neutralised. The Army Commander complimented and felicitated the gallant troops and Army Dog 'Domino' for successful Operation in the most difficult terrain and harsh weather conditions," posted Northern Command of Indian Army on X.
The Northern Army Commander Lieutenant General visited the Kalakote area of the Rajouri district in Jammu and Kashmir and reviewed the operational situation in the region.
The visit came a day after two foreign terrorists of the proscribed Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) outfit, including the mastermind behind various attacks, were eliminated in a 36-hours-long gunfight with security forces in Bajimaal area of Rajouri's Darmsal.
Five army personnel - Capt M V Pranjal, Capt Shubham Gupta, Hav Abdul Majid, Lance Naik Sanjay Bisht and Paratrooper Sachin Laur – laid down their lives in the gunfight.