CRPF gets highest 23 gallantry medals among Central Armed Police Forces

New Delhi: Twenty-three personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), the country’s largest paramilitary force, have been awarded with gallantry medals, including three military-issued Shaurya Chakras, on the eve of the 79th Independence Day.

Constables Saddam Hussain, Feda Hussain Dar and Sanjay Tiwari were decorated with the Shaurya Chakra, the third-highest peacetime defence gallantry medal of India.

The force earned the highest number of bravery medals among the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) that function under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

Assistant Commandant Teja Ram Choudhary was awarded two medals for gallantry (overall his fifth bravery medal) while Constable Ganesh Chand Jat also earned two medals (overall his third), according to the list issued by the MHA.

The laurels include 15 medals for operations in Jammu and Kashmir and eight for gallant actions in anti-Maoist operations across Left Wing Extremism-affected regions, a CRPF spokesperson said.

Constable Tiwari and Constable Dar belong to the famed Kashmir valley-based quick action team (QAT) of the CRPF, which is specially equipped and trained to undertake counter-terrorist operations.

The two exhibited “extraordinary” valour during a fierce encounter with terrorists on November 2, 2024, in Srinagar.

Despite being injured, they fought with “exemplary” courage and neutralised a hardcore terrorist, their citation said.

Constable Hussain of the 3rd CRPF Battalion has been recognised for his “indomitable courage” during a “critical” engagement with terrorists on November 5, 2024 in Bandipora, Jammu and Kashmir.

“He fought gallantly, disregarding his own safety while charging the foreign terrorist with accurate firing of UBGL (under-barrel grenade launcher) and was able to kill a foreign terrorist,” the citation said.

The about 3.25 lakh strong CRPF is the lead internal security force of the country, with its three main operational theatres being the conduct of anti-Naxal operations, counter-terrorist duties in J-K and counter-insurgency tasks in the northeastern states.