Akhnoor terror attack: Army pays tributes to canine warrior ‘Phantom’

Jammu, Oct 30: The Army on Wednesday paid rich tributes to ‘Phantom’, the sniffer canine, who was killed in an encounter with the terrorists in the dense forests of Akhnoor.
Wrapped in the tricolour with wreaths laid on it, Army personnel paid their final respects to the canine warrior in Udhampur on Wednesday.
“A solemn wreath-laying ceremony was organised today at Udhampur to honour Army canine Phantom who made the supreme sacrifice in the dense jungles of Battal in Akhnoor on October 28,” the White Knight Corps in a post on X.
The four-year-old Belgian Malinois canine, killed during a counter-ambush operation in Akhnoor sector on Monday, played a critical role in containing the terrorists thus helping the security forces to eliminate the terrorists who attacked the Army’s convoy, the spokesman said.
Phantom sustained fatal bullet injuries on Monday while attempting to protect the troops from a terrorist assault.
“His sacrifice will never be forgotten,” the White Knight Corps said, while adding, “Phantom’s bravery saved lives and was pivotal to the operation’s success”.
His sacrifice will be remembered with honour, the Defence PRO said. Born in May 2020, Phantom was deployed in the region in August 2022 and had been a crucial part of several high-stake missions.
He was trained at the Indian Army’s Remount Veterinary Corps (RVC) Centre.
Three heavily armed terrorists were killed in the two-day-long gun battle in the Battal area of the Akhnoor sector on Monday morning.