New Delhi: The country's largest paramilitary force CRPF has bagged the maximum number of gallantry medals at 36 this Republic Day with eight of these bravery awards being accorded posthumously to the paramilitary personnel.
The forces deployed in the anti-Naxal operations grid in various left-wing extremism-affected states recorded the most number of medals with the Superintendent of Police (SP) of the worst Maoist-hit district of Gadchiroli in Maharashtra also getting the Police Medal for Gallantry.
SP Mohd Suvez M Haque has been decorated with the bravery award for leading his troops and commandos of the special force 'C-60' into an operation in December 2012 which led to the recovery of huge quantity of arms and ammunition.
The maximum medals to the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel came from their dare devil exhibits in Maoist violence-affected states. The force is the lead security force in this domain as it has deployed close to one lakh personnel for this task.
The police gallantry decoration has also been given to one of the most daring BSF commanders and his team members who were killed in a Naxal ambush near Balimela in Odisha on February 10, 2012.
Border Security Force Commandant J R Khaswan, his second-in-command Rajesh Sharan, Inspector A K Yadav and Assistant Sub-Inspector (Radio operator) Jitender Kumar were killed after they were ambushed by Maoists by blasting their vehicles in a landmine trap but not before a valiant exchange of fire took place between the two sides.
The incident had taken a toll on the anti-Naxal operations in the state for sometime as Khaswan had gained much acclaim as a good officer in the Maoist violence-affected districts of the state and a similar dislike amongst the red ultras who specificallly targeted him a number of times and finally trapped him on the fateful day of 2012.
"In recognition of conspicuous gallant action, combat audacity and devotion to duty exhibited in the above ambush, the brave soldiers of 107 Battalion BSF are being awarded with Police Medal for Gallantry (posthumously) during Republic Day 2015," the citation for these martyrs read.
It said Khaswan displayed indomitable courage and exemplary leadership and despite grievous injuries he stood his ground and fired till he breathed his last thereby exhibiting the highest degree of chivalry and courage against heavy odds.
"He attained martyrdom and made the supreme sacrifice for the nation," it said.
