NOT TO BE PUBLISHED/BROADCAST BEFORE
26 JAN 2009
The Ashoka
Chakra is awarded to any individual, uniformed or civilian, for the most
conspicuous bravery, or some act of daring or pre-eminent act of valour or self-sacrifice
otherwise than in the face of the enemy.
On January
26, 2009
the President will confer 11 Ashoka Chakra Awards, including two announced
earlier on August 15, 2008 on Asstt. Commandant Pramod Kumar
Satapathy, Special Operation Group,
Orissa State Armed Police (Posthumous), and Shri R P Diengdoh, Meghalaya Police
(Posthumous), at Rajpath before the start of the parade.
The following
is the full list of awardees and a brief on their acts of valour:
SHRI R P DIENGDOH
MEGHALAYA POLICE (POSTHUMOUS)
On 6th November
2007, information
was received that about ten militants, armed with automatic rifles and a huge
quantity of explosives have set up a camp in the jungles of Meghalaya.
Shri RP Diengdoh volunteered to lead the
police party in the operations against the militants. The police party reached
the site the next day just before dawn and charged into the camp to flush
out the militants. The militants opened
heavy fire on the assault team. Shri
Diengdoh boldly returned the fire and shot dead one militant. However, he was hit by a bullet. Unmindful of the grave injury, he continued
to lead the team and managed to capture two dreaded militants.
Shri RP Diengdoh displayed exemplary dedication
to duty and pre-eminent valour in making the supreme sacrifice while fighting
the militants.
ASSISTANT
COMMANDANT SHRI PRAMOD KUMAR SATAPATHY TRAINING-IN-CHARGE OF THE SPECIAL OPERATION GROUP ORISSA STATE ARMED POLICE (POSTHUMOUS)
In the night of 15th
February 2008
about 500 heavily armed naxalites carried out simultaneous attacks on police
at various locations in and around Bhubaneswar looting many weapons and killing several
police personnel. Thereafter, they
hid in nearby jungles.
Assistant Commandant Shri Pramod Kumar
Satapathy of the Special Operation Group along with a mere 20 police personnel
reached the elevated position taken by the naxalites inside the jungle and
immediately mounted an assault on them. The
naxalites retaliated with heavy fire on the police team and in a fierce encounter
lasting for about two hours. Shri Satapathy
led the operations with exemplary courage before making the supreme sacrifice.
Shri Pramod Kumar Satapathy displayed
highest degree of bravery and dedication to duty in the fight against
naxalites.
IC-45618
COLONEL JOJAN THOMAS JAT REGIMENT / 45 RASHTRIYA RIFLES (POSTHUMOUS)
On 22nd
August 2008,
at about 03:30 AM, Colonel Jojan Thomas, Commanding Officer of 45 Rashtriya
Rifles Battalion deployed in Jammu and Kashmir established contact with a group of
terrorists.
Colonel Thomas immediately rushed to the
area with available troops and soon a fierce firefight ensued. Leading from the front, Colonel Thomas eliminated
two terrorists from close quarters. In
the process he sustained severe gun shot wounds. Inspite of this, he engaged the third terrorist
in a fierce hand-to-hand fight before eliminating him.
Colonel Jojan Thomas displayed exemplary
leadership and exceptional gallantry in eliminating three hardcore terrorists
and made the supreme sacrifice for the nation.
SHRI MOHAN
CHAND SHARMA INSPECTOR, DELHI POLICE (POSTHUMOUS)
On 19th
September 2008, Shri Mohan Chand Sharma, Inspector, Delhi Police received
specific information that a suspected person wanted in connection with the
serial bomb blasts in Delhi was hiding in a flat in Batla House area of Jamia
Nagar, New Delhi.
Shri Sharma leading a seven member team
quickly reached the identified flat. As
soon as he entered the flat he received the first burst of fire from the
terrorists holed up inside the flat.
Undaunted, he returned the fire.
In the ensuing exchange of fire, two terrorists were killed and one
captured.
Shri Mohan Chand Sharma showed exemplary
courage and devotion to duty in fighting the terrorists and made the supreme
sacrifice for the nation.
13621503 HAVILDAR
BAHADUR SINGH BOHRA10TH BATTALION THE PARACHUTE REGIMENT (SPECIAL
FORCES) (POSTHUMOUS)
Havildar Bahadur
Singh Bohra was the squad commander of an assault team deployed for a search
operation in General Area Lawanz of Jammu and Kashmir.
On 25th September
2008, at 6:15 PM, he observed a group of terrorists and moved quickly to intercept
them. In the process, he came under
heavy hostile fire. Undaunted, he charged
at the terrorists and killed one of them. However, he suffered severe gun shot wounds.
Refusing evacuation, he continued with the assault and killed two more
terrorists at extremely close range.
Havildar Bahadur Singh Bohra, thus, displayed
most conspicuous bravery and made the supreme sacrifice for the nation in
fighting the terrorists.
SHRI HEMANT
KAMLAKAR KARKARE JOINT COMMISSIONER OF POLICE, MAHARASHTRA (POSTHUMOUS)
On 26th
November 2008
at 9:40 PM, Shri Hemant Kamlakar Karkare, Joint Commissioner of Police
and Chief of the Anti-Terrorist Squad, received information about a terrorist
attack at Chhatrapati Sivaji Terminus Railway Station, Mumbai.
Acting swiftly, Shri Karkare dispatched
teams to plug the possible escape routes and himself alongwith a small team
rushed to Cama Hospital where the terrorists had moved by
then. A firefight ensued between the
terrorists and the police team. As
a result, the terrorists were forced to change their position. Shri Karkare pursued the terrorists but in the
process his jeep got ambushed and he was critically injured. He however, continued to lead the operation
and succeeded in injuring one of the terrorists.
Shri Hemant Kamlakar Karkare displayed
courage and leadership of the highest order in fighting the terrorists and
made the supreme sacrifice for the nation.
SHRI TUKARAM
GOPAL OMBALE ASSISTANT SUB-INSPECTOR OF POLICE, MAHARASHTRA (POSTHUMOUS)
On 26th November
2008, Shri
Tukaram Gopal Ombale, Asstt. Sub Inspector of Police was on night duty at
D B Marg Police Station when the terrorist attack in Mumbai took place.
Around midnight, a wireless message was flashed that
two terrorists were moving towards Marine Drive in a car. Shri Ombale immediately positioned barricades
to block its passage. As soon the car
stopped, one of the terrorists inside the car opened fire. Shri Ombale in a daring act rushed to the left
side of the car and pounced on one of the terrorists in order to snatch his
AK 47 rifle. In the process he got
seriously injured and later succumbed to his injuries.
Shri Tukaram Gopal Ombale showed raw grit
and unparalleled courage in making his supreme sacrifice while fighting the
terrorists.
IC-58660 MAJOR
SANDEEP UNNIKRISHNAN BIHAR REGIMENT / 51 SPECIAL ACTION GROUP (POSTHUMOUS)
Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan led the commando
operation launched on 27th November 2008 to flush out terrorists from Hotel
Taj Mahal, Mumbai in which he rescued 14 hostages.
During the operation, his team came under
intense hostile fire, in which one of his team members got grievously injured.
Major Sandeep pinned down the terrorists with accurate fire and rescued
the injured commando to safety. In the process, he was shot in his right arm.
Despite his injuries, he continued to fight the terrorists till his
last breath.
Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan displayed most
conspicuous bravery besides camaraderie and leadership of the highest order
and made the supreme sacrifice for the nation.
4073611 HAVILDAR
GAJENDER SINGH PARACHUTE REGIMENT / 51 SPECIAL ACTION GROUP (POSTHUMOUS)
In the night of 27th
November 2008,
Havildar Gajender Singh was leading his squad in the operation to rescue hostages
from the terrorists at Nariman House, Mumbai.
After clearing the top floor of the terrorists,
he reached the place where the terrorists had taken position. As he closed in, the terrorists hurled a grenade
injuring him. Undeterred, he kept firing
and closing in on the terrorists by exposing himself to the hostile fire.
In the act, he injured one of the terrorists and forced the others
to retreat inside a room. He continued the encounter till he succumbed
to his injuries.
Havildar Gajender Singh displayed most
conspicuous courage against grave odds and made the supreme sacrifice for
the nation in combating the terrorists.
SHRI ASHOK
MARUTRAO KAMTE ADDITIONAL COMMISSIONER OF POLICE, MAHARASHTRA (POSTHUMOUS)
On 26th November
2008, ten
heavily armed terrorists launched simultaneous attacks at various places in
Mumbai.
Shri Ashok Marutrao Kamte, Addl. Commissioner
of Police was part of the police team which rushed to Cama Hospital where the terrorists had moved in.
A firefight ensued between the terrorist and the police team.
As a result, the terrorists were forced to change their position. The Police team pursued the terrorists but in
the process their jeep got ambushed and Shri Kamte was critically injured. He however, continued the fight and played key
role in injuring one of the terrorists.
Shri Ashok Marutrao Kamte displayed courage
and leadership of the highest order in fighting the terrorists and made the
supreme sacrifice for the nation.
SHRI VIJAY
SHAHADEV SALASKAR INSPECTOR, ANTI EXTORTION CELL OF CRIME BRANCH, MAHARASHTRA (POSTHUMOUS)
On 26th November
2008, ten
heavily armed terrorists launched simultaneous attacks at various places in
Mumbai.
Shri Vijay Shahadev Salaskar, Inspector,
Anti Extortion Cell of Crime Branch was part of the police team rushed to
Cama Hospital where the terrorists had moved in.
A firefight ensued between the terrorist and the police team.
As a result, the terrorists were forced to change their position. The Police team pursued the terrorists but in
the process their jeep got ambushed and Shri Kamte and Shri Salaskar was critically
injured. He however, continued the
fight and played key role in injuring one of the terrorists.
Shri Vijay Shahadev Salaskar showed raw
grit and unparalleled courage against grave odds and made the supreme sacrifice
for the nation.
PK / HS