Udhampur: The Khalubar Ridge lies in the forbidding Yaldor sub-sector North of the Indus River. By virtue of its location, it dominates all approaches towards the Line of Control, both to its East as well as West. In 1999, the enemy occupied this feature, with their administrative base at Muntho Dhalo towards the North West of the Ridge. Khalubar was the hub of enemy defences in Yaldor and its capture by us would cut off his supply lines. Accordingly, plans were made to launch attacks from the East of the feature onto it at several points.
In the North, the Ladakh Scouts were tasked to capture Point 5000, Stangba and Padma Go. In the Centre, 22 GRENADIERS was given the task of establishing lodgements astride Point 5287, to be enlarged later by 1/11 Gorkha Rifles (GR). In the South, 12 JAK LI was tasked to capture Point 4812. The attacks were to commence on 29/30 June 1999. On the night of 30 June, 22 GRENADIERS launched their attack and managed to secure lodgements on Point 5287, however, they were dislodged after a fierce enemy counterattack with heavy casualties. At this time, 1/11 GR inducted to reinforce the attacking troops.
The inducting troops faced heavy firing from Area Bunkers. Lieutenant Manoj Kumar Pandey gallantly charged at the enemy, destroying bunkers till he was felled with a MMG bullet, making the supreme sacrifice. The Commanding Officer, Colonel Lalit Rai found himself in the open in the morning of 04 July. Realising that the enemy was building up for a counterattack, he called for artillery fire on his own position, which killed many enemy soldiers and broke the back of the counterattack.
After a series of artillery fire assaults and attacks by the Gorkhas flashing their Khukris, Pakistani soldiers of the 8 Northern Light Infantry (NLI) thought it better to withdraw than die. By 06 July, Khalubar had been cleared of all enemies. A large number of Pakistani bodies were found among the boulders and bunkers. Other battles soon cleared the remaining features on the ridgelineof all enemies in a few days’ time. Victory had been gained, but the cost had been high.