Two J&K cops posthumously get nation's top honours

Two brave policemen from Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday named as the top recipients of the nation's two highest peacetime gallantry awards but unfortunately both will receive the awards posthumously.

Babu Ram, an assistant sub inspector in Jammu and Kashmir Police have been awarded with an Ashoka Chakra – the highest peacetime gallantry award – while Altaf Hussain Bhat, a constable in the JKP is the sole winner of Kirti Chakra, the second highest award, for the bravery they showed in anti terror operations.

Forty-eight-year-old Ram, who was killed in a gunfight at Pantha Chowk on the outskirts of Srinagar last year, had volunteered to join the Special Operations Group — the elite counter-insurgency unit of the J&K Police — nearly 18 years ago.

While he was recruited as a constable in 1999, he had got two out-of-turn promotions in view of his “exceptional performance in various anti-militancy operations” in Srinagar, the Jammu and Kashmir Police had tweeted soon after his death.

Read | 75th Independence Day: Full schedule of events at Red Fort

Director General of Police, J&K, Dilbag Singh described the slain officer as a “very brave member of the SOG team, who had been a part of counter-insurgency operations for a long time”.

The Kirti Chakra awardee constable Altaf sacrificed his life while saving the life of a protected person who was attacked by terrorists in Ganderbal.

Fifteen other brave hearts received the Shaurya Chakra – the third highest gallantry award. They include six men from the Army, one from the Navy, two from the Air Force and six from various police organisations. Four of them would receive the award posthumously.

The list from the police force includes Special Police Officer Shahbaz who awarded Shaurya Chakra posthumously for his gallant action against terrorists in a counter-terrorist operation at Khrew in Awantipora last year.

President Ram Nath Kovind, who is also the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, approved 144 Gallantry awards to Armed Forces, police and paramilitary personnel on the eve of Independence Day.

These include one Ashok Chakra, one Kirti Chakra, 15 Shaurya Chakras, four Bar to Sena Medals (Gallantry), 116 Sena Medals (Gallantry), 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.