Tyson: Four-legged Army hero who leads counterterrorism operation in J&K despite being shot; Op Trashi-1 neutralizes all 7 terrorists | India News

Srinagar/Jammu/Delhi: Not all Army heroes wear uniform. Such was the case for Tyson, the four-legged soldier who first stormed into a terrorist hideout and helped security forces neutralize three Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists in the Chhatru area of ​​Kishtwar in J&K, even though he was shot in the leg.“Tyson is a local dog adopted and trained by the Indian Army for use in counter-terrorism operations,” a source told Delhi-based Times of India. “The Army’s silent warriors crawled into their hideouts in the rough terrain of Chhatru, prompting the terrorists to open fire,” sources in Kishtwar said over phone. Despite suffering gunshot wounds, Tyson continued on the mission and was the first to reach near the ‘dhok’ and enabled the security team to reach the hideout and neutralize the terrorists. The injured dog was later airlifted for treatment, officials said. The dog is now in Udhampur and is “in good condition”.Operation Trashi-1 is a major multi-agency counter-terrorism operation that “reflects months of planning and integrated approach by the Army Counter-Insurgency Force (Delta), the Police Force and the Central Reserve Police Force”.Addressing a joint press conference of the Police and Army in Jammu on Monday, Jammu Inspector General of Police BS Tuti said that it all started with a terrorist group called “Israel Group”, which consisted of seven hardcore terrorists who infiltrated into Indian territory in 2024. They fought 17 times in nearly a year and a half. Three of them were killed in April 2025, he said. “Yesterday was the culmination of a year and a half of operations,” Tuti said, referring to the killing of JEM commander Saifullah.“Yesterday’s operation showed that we have broken down their leadership in Kishtwar. However, their infantry are still active in other areas,” he said. Although he did not specify the number of terrorists, he said that around 20 foreign terrorists are believed to be operating in Jammu region.Major General APS Bal, Commander, Counter-Insurgency Force (Delta), said Operation Trashi-1 was “a perfect example of perseverance, clarity of thinking and seamless coordination between all levels, ground forces, corps commanders, ADGs, IGs, Commander-in-Chiefs and Army Commanders. ” All available resources were deployed “in a joint, integrated manner, from dogs to drones,” he said.He said the operation started in Kishtwar on January 14 and the first contact was established on January 18 after the terrorists’ hideout was busted. There were further encounters on January 22, January 25 and January 31, and again on February 4 and February 8.Major General Barr said that during the operation, the soldiers faced harsh terrain and weather, including snow, rain and landslides. To prevent fatigue, troops were rotated regularly, with some teams flying in helicopters and others on six- to eight-hour hikes.“Every day we sit at the drawing board, reorient ourselves, recalibrate ourselves, redeploy and get back to work,” he said. The senior officer said the first breakthrough came after the killing of Adil (aide to the commander) on February 4. On February 21, an opinion shared by SSP Kishtwar was forwarded to the Brigadier General, Sector 9 and was verified through multiple agencies. A joint operation ensued in the rugged mountains. Reinforcements, including special forces, were quickly mobilized. The Army uses real-time surveillance drones and night vision equipment to track and deter terrorist movements.“We were successful and our troops suffered no casualties except for Tyson, our brave dog, who was injured,” Maj. Gen. Barr said. So far, military supplies including three AK-47 rifles and the bodies of slain terrorists have been recovered during searches in the area.