NEW DELHI, August 14: Assistant Sub-Inspector Babu Ram and Constable Altaf Hussain Bhat of Jammu and Kashmir Police were on Saturday posthumously conferred with the Ashoka Chakra and the Kirti Chakra awards respectively on the eve of the 75th Independence Day.
While the Ashoka Chakra is India”s highest peacetime gallantry honour, Kirti Chakra is the second in order of precedence of peacetime gallantry awards. President Ram Nath Kovind approved a total of 144 gallantry awards to armed forces, police and paramilitary personnel that included 15 Shaurya Chakras, four Bar to Sena Medals (gallantry) and 116 Sena medals (gallantry) and one each of Ashoka Chakra and the Kirti Chakra, an official statement said.
While Babu Ram was an Assistant Sub-Inspector Hussain Bhat served as a Constable in the Jammu and Kashmir Police. Born on May 15, 1972 in Dharana village in the border town of Mendhar of Poonch district of Jammu region, Ram wanted to join the armed forces since his childhood, officials said, adding after his schooling, he was appointed in J-K Police as constable in 1999.
He was subsequently posted in special operations group (SOG) Srinagar on July 27, 2002 and was part of various anti-terror operations in which a number of hardcore terrorists were killed, the officials said. The braveheart, during his service in the anti-insurgency group, remained part of 14 encounters in which 28 terrorists were gunned down, the officials said. Constable Bhat was a resident of Rathpora area of Safakadal in Srinagar.
He was posted in Ganderbal where he was performing PSO duty with a protected person. On October 6 last year, the protected person was attacked by militants. “Bhat retaliated and killed the terrorist and saved the life of the protectee, but himself got severe bullet injuries and later succumbed, thus attaining martyrdom in the line of his duty,” an official said.
The Shaurya Chakras went to six Army personnel, two Indian Air Force officers, one Navy officer and six police and para-military personnel. Out of 15 Shaurya Chakras, four were awarded posthumously. The Shaurya Chakra recipients from the Army are Major Arun Kumar Pandey, Major Ravi Kumar Chaudhary, Captain Ashutosh Kumar (posthumously), Captain Vikas Khatri, Rifleman Mukesh Kumar and Sepoy Neeraj Ahlawat. From the Navy, the Shaurya Chakra awardee is Captail Sachin Reuben Sequeira while the IAF officers awarded the honours are Group Captain Perminder Antil and Wing Commander Varun Singh. Chitesh Kumar, Manjinder Singh and Sunil Choudhary, all from the CRPF, are among the Shaurya Chakra awardees.Commandos of Odisha Police Debasis Sethy (posthumously) and Sudhir Kumar Tudu (postumously) and Shahbaz Ahmad of J and K Police have also been conferred with the prestigious award. The list of 144 gallantry awards also included five Nao Sena Medals (Gallantry) and two Vayu Sena Medals (Gallantry).
“The President has also approved 28 Mention-in-Despatches to the Army personnel for their significant contributions in different military operations which include three posthumous for ”Operation Rakshak” and ”Operation Rakshak”,” the statement said. The six Army personnel were awarded the Shaurya Chakra for displaying bravery in anti-terror operations in Jammu and Kashmir last year. Squadron Leader Deepak Mohanan (30223) Flying (Pilot) is on deputation with a Coast Guard Squadron since April 2017. (Agencies)
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