New Delhi, Aug 15: Commando Sanjog Chhetri of Special Forces was yesterday decorated with the country's highest peacetime award, Ashoka Chakra for his daredevilry in singlehandedly killing three militants in a cave hideout in jungles of Surankot in Jammu and Kashmir earlier this year.
Chhetri, who made the supreme sacrifice of his life in the attack on April 22, in which his elite 9 Para Commando detachment later eliminated 13 terrorists, was among the 275 servicemen honoured with Kirti Chakra, Shaurya Chakra, Sena medals, Nao Sena medals and Air Chiefs commendations in the Independence Day honours list.
Paratrooper Chhetri was part of the special forces detachment tasked for initial engagement of militants in a major anti militancy operation drive undertaken by army in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir.
Army officials said when the detachment stumbled upon the cave hideout of militants it drew extremely heavy fire from them which pinned down the commando column.
Sensing danger to his colleagues, Sanjog stormed the cave hurling grenades and firing from his hip, killing two terrorists in the first flush. Suffering multiple gunshots, the brave jawan from Namchi in South Sikkim fell at the cave entrance.



But in one last act of supreme valour, Chhetri drew his commando knife and charged into the hideout killing one more terrorist in hand-to-hand combat before finally succumbing to his wounds.


Bureau Report