11 personnel to be conferred with Ashoka Chakra

The President of India Pratibha Patil will award Ashoka Chakra, the highest peacetime gallantry award, on the occasion of Republic Day to as many as 11 bravehearts who lost their lives while fighting with terrorists, including officers who died in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack.

The awardees this year would include seven policemen including Inspector Mohan Chand Sharma of Delhi Police who died during the Jamia Nagar encounter, and Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) Chief Hemant Karkare who lost his life during the Mumbai carnage.

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The other four personnel are from Army and para-military forces including National Security Guard (NSG) Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan and NSG Havildar Gajender Singh who lost their lives during the commando operation in Taj Mahal Hotel and Nariman House in Mumbai.

Besides, ATS Chief Assistant Sub Inspector Tukaram Umble, who made possible to arrest Ajmal Kasab alive despite piercing with five bullets; Additional Commissioner of Police, Ashok Kamte, and Inspector Vijay Salaskar are also in the list of Ashoka Chakra awardees list.

The name of Kamte and Salaskar were earlier listed in the Kirti Chakra – the second most gallantry award – but now have been shifted to the highest bravery award list with mounting pressure from the Maharashtra government.

However, as per sources, several top officials in government and armed forces felt the recommended names as biased.

On the other hand, the sources from Prime Minister Office has informed that four police men including ATS Chief who died on the first day of Mumbai terror attack would get Ashoka Chakra while others would either get Kirti Chakra or Shaurya Chakra.

The names of soldiers whose names had already been announced are: Col. Jojo Thomas and Havildar B.S. Bohra – both from army who died while fighting with terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir; R P Diengdoh of Meghalaya Police and Pramod Kumar Satapathy of Orissa Police.