Tribune News Service
Srinagar, August 14
On the eve of Independence day, five Shaurya Chakra, the third highest peacetime gallantry medal, have been bagged by the CRPF for various anti-militant operations in Kashmir.
The CRPF has also been decorated with two President’s Police Medal for Gallantry and 89 Police Medal for Gallantry and five Shaurya Chakra. The two President’s Police Medal for Gallantry and 52 Police Medal for Gallantry have been awarded to CRPF units deployed in Kashmir.
Deputy Commandant Kuldeep Singh Chahar and slain Head Constable Dhanawade Ravindra Baban of the 182 Battalion of the CRPF have been awarded the Shaurya Chakra for exhibiting raw courage, conspicuous gallantry and indomitable fighting spirit for volunteering to do room intervention, a high risk activity resorted to as a last measure, after three militants stormed into the District Police Lines at Pulwama on August 26, 2017, and took refuge in the family quarters, threatening the lives of civilians.
“The team succeeded in eliminating three foreign terrorists and evacuating the civilians to safety but in the process Head Constable Dhanawade Ravindra Baban, who was at the forefront, fell to the bullets of the terrorists who fired indiscriminately on him using API rounds, which pierced through his shield,” a CRPF spokesman said.
Head Constable AS Krishna, Constable K Dinesh Raja and Constable Prafulla Kumar of the 45 Battalion of the CRPF have been awarded the Shaurya Chakra for successfully thwarting a fidayeen attack by four heavily armed foreign militants on a CRPF camp at Sumbal in Bandipora district on June 5, 2017.
Slain Head Constable Mohammad Tafail Ahmad and Constable Sharief Uddin Ganaie of the 185 Battalion of the CRPF, who hailed from Rajouri and Budgam districts, respectively, have been awarded the President’s Police Medal for Gallantry (posthumously) for eliminating three heavily armed militants who carried out a fidayeen attack on a CRPF camp at Lethpora on December 30, 2017.
“Shaheed Tafail and Shaheed Sharief Uddin, who were on standby due to a security alert, immediately swung into action. They displayed exceptional bravery, raw courage, utmost dedication and commitment to duty and sacrificed their lives fighting gallantly till the end,” the spokesman said.
CRPF IG, Srinagar, Ravideep Singh Sahi has been awarded the President’s Police Medal.