NEW DELHI: RT Nagrani, the first director general of the elite National Security Guard (NSG), who led Operation Black Thunder-I in 1986 to flush out armed militants from the Golden Temple in Amritsar, died at his south Delhi residence on Sunday. He was 98.Officials said Nagrani had been unwell for some time. His cremation will be held on Tuesday, officials told PTI.Nagrani was a 1951-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer from the Andhra Pradesh cadre. He served as the first director general of the National Security Guard (NSG), leading the elite ‘Black Cats’ commando force from August 17, 1984, to September 25, 1986.The NSG was established in 1984 with the mandate to carry out counter-terrorism, counter-hijacking and hostage rescue operations.
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NSG DG Brighu Srinivasan, the 25th chief of the force, expressed his condolences on Nagrani’s death, saying 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. According to official records, Operation Black Thunder-I commenced on the night of April 30, 1986, at Golden Temple complex and lasted till early morning the next day. “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,” documents testify. The NSG paid its tributes 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 retired from service in 1987 and is survived by three sons. (With agency inputs)
