Fifteen SSB personnel who killed six ‘most wanted’ Naxalites in two operations in Bihar have been awarded the Police Medal for Gallantry on the eve of the 75th Republic Day. The paramilitary force guarding the unfenced Indian borders with Nepal and Bhutan has received the Police Medal for operations conducted in Lakhisarai district in February 2022 and inside the Valmiki Tiger Reserve in July 2020. Some personnel involved in both operations were awarded gallantry medals for each encounter.

The official quote said that in the first operation under the supervision of Commandants Deepak Singh and MK Pandey, two “dreaded” Naxalites were killed in ‘Ghoghi Kodasi’ of Lathia Koal forest area of ​​Lakhisarai. Lakhisarai provides a corridor for the movement of armed Naxalite cadres towards Jharkhand.

The Maoists first opened fire on the SSB teams of 32nd and 35th battalions along with a unit of local police while they were trekking through a narrow forest path between two hills. The firing lasted for about three hours and Commandant Singh devised a well-coordinated plan, perfect execution and exemplary solidarity at the time of crisis, resulting in two CPI (Maoist) cadres being killed on the spot, while the third, Arjun Koda, sustained bullet injuries. Went. The citation said he was injured a few months after this operation and surrendered to security forces.

A senior official told PTI that these Maoists had a bounty on them and were among the ‘most wanted’ in the state. Other personnel awarded gallantry medals in this operation include Head Constable Pradeep Kumar, Constable Aseem Toppo and Ganesh Singh Rana.

The second operation where SSB personnel were awarded gallantry medals was related to the killing of four top Naxalite ‘commanders’ and seizure of arms and ammunition from the Tiger Reserve. This team, said in their citation, “displayed amazing courage under sterling leadership quality with indomitable spirit, invincible fortitude despite bombs and bullets, they displayed the highest example of bravery.” The personnel involved in this second operation included Deputy Commandant Narpat Singh, Inspector Kumar Rituraj and Head Constable Bhim Singh, among others.

Constable Vijay Kumar was also awarded the gallantry medal posthumously for his bravery in Kashmir in 2018.

(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – PTI)