In Panda, CRPF loses ‘face’ of its assault team in Kashmir

Majid Jahangir

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, January 2

Gallantry award winning Central Reserve Police Force  (CRPF) commando Pradip Kumar Panda, 33, who had a close brush with death in 2016, was killed while fighting Jaish-e-Mohammad fidayeen at Lethpora in south Kashmir on Sunday.

He was among the five paramilitary personnel killed in a 36-hour gunfight inside a CRPF commando training camp that also left three fidayeen of the Afzal Guru squad of Jaish-e-Mohammad dead. Two of the three fidayeen were locals.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

A senior CRPF officer said Panda had been part of the Valley-based Quick Action Team (QAT) of the CRPF for around six years and was a “legendary expert of face-to-face gunfight”. Panda was killed while trying to flush out the third holed-up militant during room intervention on Sunday.

“He was the face of the assault team of the Valley-based QAT. He used to deal final blows to terrorists in their hideouts. He was also awarded the Police Medal for Gallantry on Independence Day last year,” said Ravideep Singh Sahi, Inspector General of CRPF.

Panda was honoured with the police medal for showing raw courage during a fidayeen attack on Independence Day in 2016 at Nowhatta in Srinagar’s old city.

“It was that deadly encounter in Nowhatta Chowk that saw the martyrdom of Commandant Pramod Kumar, who was later awarded the prestigious Kirti Chakra. It was during that gunfight that Panda displayed raw courage and devotion to duty,” a CRPF spokesman said.

Sahi said the QAT of CRPF reached Lethpora around 4 am and after analysing the situation, the assault was launched against militants. “Panda was martyred during room-to-room intervention on Sunday. He was a brave soldier who was always at the forefront of any operation,” the CRPF IG said.

Panda, who hailed from Odisha, joined the CRPF in 2006. Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik today announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh for the family, besides a monthly pension of Rs 2,000 to the martyr’s widow. Panda hailed from Liploi village in Sundergarh district.