Real-life Phantom kills 10 terrorists in 11 days, dies fighting

Standing out for his toughness in an elite unit, an Indian army commando proved his mettle with three consecutive, anti-terrorist missions in the Kashmir Valley in which he gunned down 10 militants and captured one before laying down his life - but not before ensuring the operation was a success, a defence official said on Saturday.

Life may be imitating art here. In his latest movie, Phantom, Saif Ali Khan goes and kills several militants before laying down his life. The movie was banned in Pakistan.

"Lance Naik Mohan Nath Goswami, a Special Forces commando of the Indian Army has created a unique history of valour and dedication to duty by eliminating 10 terrorists in 11 days before laying down his life in service of the nation in the Kashmir Valley," army's Udhampur-based Northern Command spokesman, Col.S.D. Goswami told IANS.

Lance Naik Goswami, who was killed in a gunfight with militants in Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara district on Thursday, "volunteered to join the elite para commando outfit in 2002 and went on to gain the reputation of being one of the toughest soldiers of his unit - no small feat in an outfit that boasts of being one among the best in the world", said the spokesman.

The commando volunteered for all operational missions undertaken by his unit and was a part of numerous successful counter-terrorist operations in Jammu and Kashmir, he added.

"In the last 11 days, he was actively involved in three counter-terrorism operations in the Kashmir Valley in which 10 terrorists were eliminated and one captured alive."

"The first operation was conducted in Khurmur, Handwara, on August 23. The operation resulted in elimination of three hardcore Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists of Pakistani origin," he added.

"He volunteered for a second back-to-back operation in Rafiabad, Kashmir. The operation was conducted over two days on August 26-27. It witnessed a fierce gunfight that led to the elimination of three more LeT terrorists."

"LeT terrorist, Sajjad Ahmad alias Abu Ubed Ullah, resident of Muzzafargarh, Pakistan was captured alive in this operation," said Col. Goswami, adding this further helped to "prove Pakistan's complicity in abetting terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir".

"Lance Naik Goswami, once again, volunteered to be part of an ongoing operation launched in the dense Hafruda forest near Kupwara on September 3," he said.

"This proved to be his last operation but not before elimination of four terrorists in a heavy gunbattle. A true soldier, he breathed his last in action."

The mortal remains of the braveheart commando, who hailed from Indira Nagar village in Nainital district of uttarakhand, were flown by an Indian Air Force aircraft to Bareilly from where his body will be taken by an army helicopter to Pantnagar and onward to his native place where he will be cremated with full military honours.

Goswami is survived by his wife and a 7-year-old daughter.