JAMMU: Like in the previous years this year too, CRPF-the largest Central Armed Police Force of the country, has been awarded with as many as 96 medals for gallantry (5 Shaurya Chakra, 2 President’s Police Medals for Gallantry and 89 Police medals for Gallantry). But what stands apart this year is the fact that the number of gallantry medals is the highest ever medals on Independence Day for the CRPF. With this, the total number of gallantry medals won by the dedicated and daring Force personnel till now has scaled upto 1778- again the highest ever among all the CAPFs in the country.
As announced by the Government on the eve of the 72nd Independence Day today, while 5 bravehearts of the Force have been honoured with the coveted Shaurya Chakra, two valiant soldiers have been awarded posthumously with the prestigious President’s Police Medal for Gallantry. The rest 89 brave personnel of the Force have been awarded with the Police Medal for Gallantry for their respective courage, dedication and above all their sense of devotion to the Motherland.
The Force personnel have time and again proved their uncanny mix of extreme valour and unflinching patriotism. Be it the Shaurya Chakra awardees or those honoured with gallantry medals, the narratives of the Force personnel are always spawn around raw courage, steely determination and ever-readiness to offer supreme sacrifice for the motherland.
Head Constable A S Krishna, Constable K Dinesh Raja and Constable Prafulla Kumar of the 45 Bn- three out of the five Shaurya Chakra awardees not only held their ground in the face of sudden fidayeen attack, but also could neutralise all the terrorists who masterminded such cowardly act. These three bravehearts along with fellow officer and jawans could thwart an early morning fidayeen attack in the Industrial Area (Training Ground) in Sumbal under the Bandipora district of J & K on 5th June 2017, while eliminating all the four dreaded terrorists. The entire shoot-out that was fierce in the least was to meet with its logical end in just 45 minutes-thanks to the unmatched bravery and tactical acumen of the CRPF jawans!
The story of the other two Shaurya Chakra awardees of the 182 Bn is no less awe-inspiring. Kuldeep Singh Chahar, Deputy Commandant and Saheed Head Constable Dhanwade Ravindra Baban of the 182 Bn were instrumental not only in frustrating a similar fidayeen bid in the District Police Line in the Pulwama district of Jammu and Kahmir on 26th August last year but also in eliminating all the three terrorists who had planned the fidayeen attack. One could well imagine the level of resolve and retaliatory spirit of the Jawans of the Force who could achieve the rare feat in ‘room intervention’ exercise in an ordeal that lasted for over 20 hours! Head Constable Ravindra Baban though laid down his life for the cause of the Nation in the treacherous gun-fire.
In a show of identical valour in yet another incident at CRPF camp in Lethpora in J & K in December last year, Head Constable Taufail Ahmed and Constable Sharief-Uddin Ganaie of the 182 Bn alongwith fellow personnel could outwit all the three trigger-happy terrorists though sheer courage and determination. In over 36 hours of grueling gun battle, these two bravehearts embraced martyrdom, but not before forcing all the three terrorists bite the dust. Their supreme sacrifice has been duly recognized by a grateful Nation in awarding them the prestigious President’s Police Medal for Gallantry.
The same strand of courage and conviction, valour and vivacity, persistence and patriotism, selflessness and sacrifice runs through the gallant acts of all the gallant Force Personnel that rightfully fetched them the distinguished honour in the shape of the Police Medals for Gallantry.