Click to play videoNew Delhi: The Central Government has announced the gallantry awards to be presented on Republic Day.
Mumbai terror attack heroes which includes Hemant Karkare, Ashok Kamte, Vijay Salaskar, Tukaram Omble, Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan and Havaldar Gajendra Singh will be awarded the country highest peacetime gallantary award - the Ashok Chakra.
Delhi Police Inspector Mohan Chand Sharma, who died in the Jamia encounter in Delhi, will also get the Ashok Chakra. The others to receive the Ashok Chakra are Meghalaya Police's RP Diengdoh, Assistant Commandant of Special Operation Group, Orissa, Pramod Kumar Satapathy, Colonel Jojan Thomas (Jat Regiment / 45 Rashtriya Rifles, Havildar Bahadur Singh Bohra of the 10TH Battalion, The Parachute Regiment (Special Forces).
All the Ashok Chakras are being awarded posthumously.
Railway Police Inspector Shashank Shinde, who was killed in the shooting at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus on November 26, 2008, is being honoured with the Kirti Chakra.
The Maharashtra government had sought Ashok Chakra for all those who died fighting terrorists on November 26. Now, seven policemen from Maharashtra are being conferred with President's Police Medal for Gallantry.
List of Ashok Chakra awardees and a brief on their acts of valour:
Hemant Kamlakar Karkare, Joint commissioner of police, Maharashtra (Posthumous)
On November 26, 2008 at 2140 hrs IST, joint commissioner of police and chief of the Anti-Terrorist Squad Hemant Kamlakar Karkare received information about a terrorist attack at Chhatrapati Sivaji Terminus Railway Station, Mumbai.
Acting swiftly, 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. 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.
He displayed courage and leadership of the highest order in fighting the terrorists and made the supreme sacrifice for the nation.
Tukaram Gopal Ombale, Assistant sub-inspector of police, Maharashtra, posthumous)
On November 26, 2008, Shri Tukaram Gopal Ombale, was on night duty at DB 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. Ombale immediately positioned barricades to block its passage. As soon the car stopped, one of the terrorists inside the car opened fire. 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.
Ombale showed raw grit and unparalleled courage in making his supreme sacrifice while fighting the terrorists.
Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, Bihar Regiment / 51 Special Action Group (Posthumous)
Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan led the commando operation launched on November 27, 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 displayed most conspicuous bravery besides camaraderie and leadership of the highest order and made the supreme sacrifice for the nation.
Havildar Gajender Singh, Parachute Regiment / 51 Special Action Group (Posthumous)
In the night of November 27, 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.
Ashok Marutrao Kamte, Additional commissioner of police, Maharashtra, posthumous)
On November 26, 2008, 10 heavily armed terrorists launched simultaneous attacks at various places in Mumbai.
Ashok Marutrao Kamte 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 Kamte was critically injured. He however, continued the fight and played key role in injuring one of the terrorists.
Kamte displayed courage and leadership of the highest order in fighting the terrorists and made the supreme sacrifice for the nation.
Vijay Shahadev Salaskar, Inspector, Anti-Extortion Cell of Crime Branch, Maharashtra (posthumous)
On November 26, 2008, 10 heavily armed terrorists launched simultaneous attacks at various places in Mumbai.
Vijay Shahadev Salaskar 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 Salaskar was critically injured. He however, continued the fight and played key role in injuring one of the terrorists.
Salaskar showed raw grit and unparalleled courage against grave odds and made the supreme sacrifice for the nation.
RP Diengdoh, Meghalaya Police officer (posthumous)
On November 6, 2007, information was received that about 10 militants, armed with automatic rifles and a huge quantity of explosives have set up a camp in the jungles of Meghalaya.
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. 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.
Diengdoh displayed exemplary dedication to duty and pre-eminent valour in making the supreme sacrifice while fighting the militants.
Pramod Kumar Satapathy, Assistant commandant, Training-in-charge of the Special Operation Group, Orissa State Armed Police (posthumous)
In the night of February 15, 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.
Satapathy of the Special Operation Group along with 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. Satapathy led the operations with exemplary courage before making the supreme sacrifice.
Satapathy displayed highest degree of bravery and dedication to duty in the fight against Naxalites.
Colonel Jojan Thomas, Jat Regiment / 45 Rashtriya Rifles (posthumous)
On August 22, 2008, at about 0330 hrs IST, 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 Thomas displayed exemplary leadership and exceptional gallantry in eliminating three hardcore terrorists and made the supreme sacrifice for the nation.
Mohan Chand Sharma, Inspector, Delhi Police (Posthumous)
On September 19, 2008, Mohan Chand Sharma 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.
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.
Sharma showed exemplary courage and devotion to duty in fighting the terrorists and made the supreme sacrifice for the nation.
Havildar Bahadur Singh Bohra, 10TH 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 September 25, 2008, at 1815 hrs IST, 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.
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