LoC surgical strikes: President Pranab Mukherjee awards Shaurya Chakras to soldiers

In order to appreciate the efforts of soldiers during the daring surgical strike across the Line of Control last year, President Pranab Mukherjee on Thursday awarded Shaurya Chakras to the participating officers.

He also awarded the Shaurya Chakra posthumously to Lt Col Niranjan Ek, who died while recovering IED from the bodies of Pathankot terrorists in January 2016.

As per the citation against Shaurya Chakra awardees, Major Rajat Chandra killed two terrorists during the surgical strike, while Captain Ashutosh Kumar eliminated four terrorists. Both belong to 4 Para Special Forces, which took part in the surgical strike in September last year.

Major Deepak Upadhyay and Paratrooper Abdul Qayum, both of 9 Para Special Forces, were also awarded with Shaurya Chakras for their role in the surgical strike.

Nineteen soldiers of the 4 and 9 Para, the special forces units, who undertook the daring cross-border surgical strike across LoC, were awarded with gallantry medals on January 25, including a Kirti Chakra, while their commanding officers have been given Yudh Sewa Medal.

Also read: Surgical strikes decision taken soon after Uri attack, says Rajnath Singh

Shaurya Chakra was also posthumously awarded to Sanjewan Singh, head constable with the Jammu and Kashmir Police, Naib Subedhar Kankara V Subba Reddy, Naik Pandurang Gawande, and Kirti Chakra to Lance Havildar Prem Bahadur Resmi Magar of the Gorkha Rifles. All laid their lives fighting terrorists.

Family members of Singh, Reddy, Gawande and Magar received the honour by the President.

Lt Gen PM Hariz, one of the two senior most officers superseded by Chief of Army Staff Gen Bin Rawat, was awarded Param Vishisht Seva Medal. Hariz is the Commander-in-Chief of the Southern Command.

Shaurya Chakras were also awarded to Atu Zumvu, Sub-Divisional Police Officer with the Nagaland Police, who shot down three National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) outfit members, responsible for killing 81 people.

Captain Elisen Y Jami of the 12^th Batallion Parachute Regiment, Kukudapu Srinivasulu, police constable with Telangana Police was also awarded with Shaurya Chakra.

Lt Col D Vinay Reddy of the Madras Regiment and Havildar Hanuman Ram Saran of the Rajputana Rifles were awarded with Shaurya Chakra.

Also read: Surgical strikes marked India's offensive stride vis-a-vis Pakistan: Retd Army official