New Delhi: Three years ago, on this day in 2019, it was around 3.00 pm. When 12 Mirage 2000 fighter jets of IAF crossed the Line of Control (LoC) and entered Pakistan's border and destroyed the bases of Balakot-based terrorist organization Jaish-e-Mohammed. Later it was known as Balakot Air Strike. According to the government claim, Mirage 2000 dropped about 1000 kg of bombs on terrorist hideouts, in which about 300 terrorists were killed. At the same time, Pakistan was not even aware of this action of India. This strike was done by India on Pakistan to avenge the terrorist attack in Pulwama 12 days ago. In fact, on February 14, 2019, the terrorists attacked the CRPF in a cowardly manner. In this attack, 40 CRPF jawans were martyred and many others were seriously injured. In Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district, a Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist rammed into the bus of CRPF personnel carrying a vehicle laden with explosives.
After this collision, there was a loud explosion and the mutilated bodies of CRPF personnel going by bus were scattered on the ground. India had attacked Jaish's terrorist camp in Balakot, Pakistan within just 12 days to avenge this karayana attack. The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting was held on the 15th, a day after the day the Pulwama attack took place. In this meeting, options were placed in front of PM Narendra Modi to take revenge on Pakistan. After the Uri attack, India had taken the decision of surgical strike, but this time it was decided that the answer would be in some other way. After a long brainstorming, it was decided to do an airstrike. NSA Ajit Doval was entrusted with this scheme on behalf of PM Modi. Ajit Doval and the then Air Force Chief BS Dhanoa prepared the blueprint of the entire action. In the meantime, it was decided that Jaish-e-Mohammed's bases in Balakot would be targeted. When everything was settled, after that all the agencies started extracting the inputs. RAW, IB started to find out the concrete locations of Jaish's hideouts.
Even though the Air Force had an important role in this attack, but the Army was also kept on alert. Especially in the area near the LoC, the jawans were fully alert. Two days before the airstrike, it was decided that AWACS would also be deployed along with Mirage 2000. They were deployed in Gwalior, as well as the Agra base was also alerted. On the evening of 25 February, the phones of the people taking part in the operation were switched off. PM Modi, NSA Ajit Doval and BS Dhanoa were constantly taking information about every update. On the late night of 26 February, when the Miraj 2000 took off from Gwalior, the airbase of Agra, Bareilly was also put on alert. During this, the Pakistani air defense system was asked to keep an eye on it. 12 Mirage fighter jets entered the Pakistani border at around 3 pm and started raining bombs in Balakot. During this, Pakistan's F16 aircraft became active, but by then India's Air Force had done its job. In the action of the Indian Air Force, the hideouts of Jaish-e-Mohammed in Balakot were destroyed. The Indian government said that hundreds of Jaish terrorists were killed in this attack. After the airstrike, Pakistan had declared its entire airspace as a no-fly zone and did not let anyone on the spot for several months.
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