“Axel”, a sniffer dog used by the Indian Army, died last month during an anti-terror operation in the Baramulla district of Jammu and Kashmir.
He will receive a “Mentioned Person” for his bravery this year. Just days before India’s 76th Independence Day, the news broke.
Axel was one of 42 people to have received the “People Mentioned Instance,” honoring outstanding and well-deserved service. The Army Chief of Staff Commendation Card and the Army Deputy Chief of Staff Commendation Card rank below Mentioned among the titles given to dogs. It would therefore be the highest brave honor given to a military dog recently for his participation in the counter-insurgency campaign.
The German Army Shephard, 2 years old, sacrificed his life in the line of duty when assigned to the 26th Army Dog Unit. Axel is said to have only joined the team last December. Axel is said to have participated in an anti-terror operation with 29 Rashtriya rifles. After his fellow dog Bajaj cleaned and sanitized the building, Axel was sent to search for the terrorists.
A cowardly terrorist opened fire on Axle as soon as he reached the second room, despite the fact that he had diligently successfully cleaned the first room. According to the Army’s official account, Axel moved for 15 seconds after being shot before collapsing.
Military personnel recovered the dog’s body when the gunfight ended. Axel is said to have suffered multiple injuries, including a broken femur.
Along with Axel, his dog friend Bajaj also received recognition from the Army Chief of Staff. According to WION, Operation Baramulla lasted eight hours before security personnel killed the terrorist, who was later revealed to be Akhtar Hussain Bhatt, a resident of Kupwara. The slain terrorist from the Jaish-e-Mohammed group was outlawed.