CRPF jawan wants to fight terrorists in J&K

Guwahati: A CRPF personnel from Assam, currently on leave at his home in Morigaon district, has expressed his readiness to return to Kashmir immediately to join counter-terrorism operations following the recent terror attack in Pahalgam.
Jyoti Das, 40, was travelling home from Madhya Pradesh on the day of the attack. He had received a bravery award from Union home minister Amit Shah on Apr 17. The award recognised his leadership in an operation in Shopian, Kashmir, in Apr 2022, where his team eliminated four Pakistani militants.
"The train I boarded was in West Bengal when I got the news about the attack in Pahalgam. I cannot express the feeling I had at that moment. I felt like getting off the train and returning to Kashmir to give the terrorists a befitting reply," Das said.
Das, who has served in the CRPF for 18 years, proudly recounted his role in the Shopian operation. "We joined the forces to protect the country, and we always wait for such opportunities to pull the trigger against terrorists," he added.
Currently on leave until May 7, Das plans to request his superiors for an opportunity to participate in counter-terrorism operations. "Though I am on leave, my heart and mind are still in Kashmir," he said.
Das has been deployed in various regions, including Shopian (2019–2024) and Gund in Ganderbal, Kashmir. Before 2019, he served at Khatkhati on the Assam-Nagaland border. He is set to be promoted to head constable soon.
At home, Das's wife and two young sons, aged 6 and 10, live with the constant tension of his dangerous assignments. "For my family, the worry about whether I am alive or not is part of life. The moment I call my wife after an operation is always special," he said.