It was a one-man mission that ended the fidayeen attack on the Jammu Railway station yesterday. Lieutenant Triveni Singh took on the two militants single-handedly and laid down his life while covering his deputy from the militants’ fire. The call of duty came for Singh around 7.15 pm, minutes after news of fidayeen holding siege at the station came in. Singh promised his senior, a Major, that he would finish the task and join him for bara khana at the officers’ mess. That was not to be. Singh was joined by his quick reaction team as they tracked down the militants at the station. The lieutenant was quick to spot the two hiding behind the stairs on Platform I. One of the militants saw Singh and his deputy, Havildar Fazal Hussain closing in and opened fire. Singh was undeterred. Hussain fired to cover Singh as he inched closer to the militants. As the havildar engaged the militant, Singh shot him. The other fidayeen was creeping up on the team and Hussain went for him, asking Singh for cover. Unnerved, the militant threw hand grenades and sprayed bullets. Singh rushed forward and pounced on the militant, diverting the fire from Fazal. The militant exploded a grenade, killing himself and the lieutenant on the spot. Hussain escaped unhurt. ‘‘We have lost a brave officer,’’ Maj Gen Rajinder Singh, GOC of the Jammu- based Tiger division, said. ‘‘He showed extra courage and tried to overpower the terrorist, but the latter exploded a grenade.’’ Singh’s body was laid at the Sunjuwan Military Station with full military honours. Senior military officers paid tributes to the lieutenant at a wreath-laying ceremony.
