Trust the Indian Armed Forces: Col Qureshi, 2 officers share insights on KBC special

Hindustan Times

2 hours ago

New Delhi: Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, wing commander Vyomika Singh, and commander Prerna Deosthalee offered a glimpse into Operation Sindoor — India's counterterror mission after the April 22 Pahalgam attack — during a special episode of Kaun Banega Crorepati on Friday. A special episode of Kaun Banega Crorepati was aired on Friday.
'We attacked in the interiors of the enemy to break their backs. Twenty-one terror camps were recognised. Nine camps were finalised, and the game was done in 25 minutes,' wing commander Singh said, detailing the precision strikes that crippled terrorist infrastructure.
Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7, targeted nine terrorist infrastructure sites across Pakistan and PoK. Several terrorists were eliminated in precision strikes carried out by Indian armed forces.
Explaining the targets, Colonel Qureshi said, 'Bahawalpur was the headquarters of the Jaish-e-Mohammed, from where terrorists who attacked Pathankot and Pahalgam were trained; Muridke had the headquarters of the Lashkar-e-Taiba, where Ajmal Kasab and David Headley were trained. Therefore, we had to destroy those places.'
Qureshi added that Pakistan had sent 300–400 drones, both armed and unarmed. 'They sent unarmed drones to scan India's weapon and defence capability around the Line of Control and the international border. But the army air defence successfully disabled their attempts,' she said.
Outlining the navy's role, commander Deosthalee said, 'The navy was battle-ready. We managed the trade routes to stabilise the economy and also ensured deterrence, as a dual job. We also protected the maritime borders, as there were anti-national elements that entered in the past. Being part of this mission is a matter of pride and honour.'
Deosthalee, who described naval warfare as '360 degrees of uncertainty with no room for error in the middle of the endless sea without borders,' said, 'When we strike, we strike in a manner that the enemy would remember forever.'
The officers credited local residents for their role in the rescue efforts following the Pahalgam attack and recalled the bravery displayed, despite the loss of navy officer Vinay Narwal.
Highlighting women's role in Operation Sindoor, Qureshi said that over 100 women are trained on par with their male counterparts. 'This enabled them to handle the operations seamlessly,' she added.
'A weapon or a fighter aircraft doesn't distinguish between males and females,' Singh said.
'You have to trust the Indian armed forces; whenever there will be any attack on the country, we have given a stern message to Pakistan and we will keep on doing it in the future,' Qureshi said.
Qureshi said Operation Sindoor reflects a whole-of-nation approach involving the government and armed forces. 'We are a peace-loving nation and want to live in synergy with our neighbours. Our next-gen tech weapons were so advanced now that we made the operation possible without any civilian fatalities,' she added.