5 ITBP men get gallantry medals for action in Naxal ops; total 19 personnel decorated

Five personnel of the ITBP, tasked to guard the Line of Actual Control with China, have been decorated with gallantry medals for displaying bravery in the anti-Naxal operations grid of Chhattisgarh on the eve of the Independence Day.

The force has been awarded a total of 19 medals in various service categories this time.

The five personnel, from the 44th battalion of the force, are Deputy Commandant Rajesh Kumar, Inspector Jitender, Head Constable Sukhdev Donkari and Constables Anil Negi and Mahesh Kumar.

"The troops have been decorated with the police medal for gallantry for displaying exemplary valour and extraordinary courage in a Naxal encounter that took place on October 25, 2017 in the jungles of Kamkasur and Kopankarka in Rajnandgaon district of Chhattisgarh," a force spokesperson said.

After a night-long encounter, three Naxal PLGA area committee members carrying Rs 5 lakh reward each were gunned down by this team. The troops exhibited raw courage and bravery in this action, he said.

Those decorated with the President's police medal for distinguished service include Deputy Inspector General Rabindra Pandey.

The awardees for the police medal for meritorious service include second-in-command rank officer Dhirendra Singh Negi, Inspector Babu Lal and Assistant Commandant Bhanita Timungapi.

Timungapi is an ace mountaineer and has many successful expeditions to her name. She is the second woman climber of the force with a rich experience in mountaineering after Santosh Yadav, the first woman to climb Mount Everest twice.

Yadav, a Padma Shri recipient, was with the ITBP as a Deputy Commandant.

The about 90,000 personnel strength Indo-Tibetan Border Police, under the command of the Union home ministry, is primarily tasked with guarding the 3,488-km high-altitude Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China apart from rendering other internal security duties, including conducting anti-Naxal operations.