An Assam Police Inspector and a CRPF constable were on Friday posthumously honoured with the Kirti Chakra — the second highest peacetime gallantry award — along with a Naib Subedar of the Army for their acts of bravery in anti-terrorist and anti-Naxal operations.
Constable Bhrigu Nandan Choudhary of the CRPF and Inspector lohit Sonowal of the Assam Police were awarded the Kirti Chakra by President Pranab Mukherjee for their actions in anti-Naxal operations in Bihar and anti-terrorist operations in Assam respectively.
The third recipient of Kirti Chakra, Naib Subedar Bhupal Singh Magar of 5/5 Gorkha Rifles, got the award for eliminating two terrorists in Jammu & Kashmir last year while guarding the line of Control (loC).
Constable Bhrigu Nandan Choudhary of CRPF’s 205 Cobra Battalion was given the award posthumously for his role in foiling a Naxal attack in Gaya in Bihar on September 8, 2012 in which six left-wing extremists were killed.
Inspector Sonowal received the award for killing two UlFA terrorists in Tinsukia district of Assam in an operation on April 19 last year.
A resident of Rupendehi district of Nepal, Magar received the award for killing two terrorists from a heavily-armed group of ultras on the loC on August 31 last year in Kupwara district.
Among the 10 Shaurya Chakra awardees, CRPF Deputy Commandant Prakash Ranjan Mishra was honoured for killing a Naxal and making the extremists retreat from their position in an operation on September 17, 2012 in Chatra district of Jharkhand.
Other recipients of Shaurya Chakra, the third highest gallantry award, include Maj Mandeep Singh Ghumman of 1 Assam Rifles, Captain Sandeep Bhartiya of 17 Jat Regiment, Captain Mahabir Singh of 9 PARA (Special Forces), Sepoy lallawmzuala, a resident of Mizoram who was serving with the 18 Rashtriya Rifles (Artillery), Major Swagat Kumar Das of 9 Sikh light Infantry, Major Amarjeet Singh of 44 Assam Rifles, Captain Rampreet Singh of 3 Jammu & Kashmir Rifles and Naik Balwinder Singh of 22 Rashtriya Rifles (PUNJAB).