R T Nagrani, first NSG chief and Black Thunder-I leader, dies at 98
R T Nagrani, the first director general of the Security Guard and the officer who led Operation Black Thunder-I in 1986 to flush out armed
R T Nagrani, the first director general of the Security Guard and the officer who led Operation Black Thunder-I in 1986 to flush out armed militants from the Golden Temple in Amritsar, died in Delhi on Sunday. He was 98. Officials told PTI that Nagrani had not been keeping well and died at his home in south Delhi. His cremation will be held on Tuesday. A 1951-batch Indian Police Service officer of the Andhra Pradesh cadre, he retired from service in 1987. Read Full Story Nagrani headed the NSG, also known as the 'black cats' commando force, from August 17, 1984, to September 25, 1986.
The NSG was raised in 1984 with a mandate to undertake counter-terrorist, counter-hijack and hostage rescue tasks. According to official records, Operation Black Thunder-I began on the night of April 30, 1986, at the Golden Temple complex and lasted till early morning the next day. The records state, "The entire operation was conducted bare footed with head covered by the troops and no one entered the shrine maintaining the sanctity of Golden Temple. No collateral damage was caused during the operation. The troops apprehended 122 suspected personnel with no casualty to own troops." NSG Director General Brighu Srinivasan, the 25th chief of the force, expressed condolences on Nagrani's death and said he created a unique outfit that is "unparalleled" anywhere in the world.
"The values and ethos instilled by the founding father have provided the bedrock on which our 'elitest of elite' force stands. We have literally stood on the shoulders of great men like him," Srinivasan said. The NSG also paid tribute to its first chief on X. "A visionary leader and institution builder, Shri Nagrani laid the foundation of the NSG with exceptional foresight, professionalism and unwavering dedication. His leadership established the values, discipline and operational ethos that transformed the Force into India's nodal Counter Terrorism Force, renowned for its precision, courage and excellence," the post said.
Nagrani, who helped build the NSG in its early years and led one of its key operations, is survived by three sons. His cremation will take place on Tuesday. Ends
The BriefWire