R-day: SSB team that killed top J'khand Naxal commander awarded PMG

Four SSB personnel have been awarded the police medal for gallantry (PMG) this Republic Day for killing a dreaded Naxal commander in Jharkhand who was wanted for fatally ambushing an SP-rank officer of the state in 2013, officials said.

Sahdev Rai alias Tala da was killed by the troops of the newly-created guerilla warfare unit of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), called small action team (SAT), and state police personnel on July 27, 2018 in the forests of Dumka district of the state.

Rai was a "hardcore" Maoist zonal commander who carried a cash reward of Rs 10 lakh and apart from other cases, he was wanted for the killing of the then superintendent of police (SP) Amarjit Balihar and five other police personnel in Dumka in 2013 by laying a deadly ambush.

Assistant Commandant Narpat Singh, Head Constables Pradeep Kumar and Bheem Singh and Constable Ganesh Singh Rana of the 35th battalion of the SSB have been decorated with the PMG for displaying "exceptional leadership qualities, raw grit and courage in risking their own lives during the operation".

All the four displayed great professionalism and gallantry that led to the killing of the senior Naxal commander, their citation said.

The security forces had recovered the body of Rai and his associate, a self-loading rifle, a grenade and four magazines apart from other ammunition after the operation ended.

The SSB, a central border guarding force primarily tasked to guard the Nepal and Bhutan borders, is deployed in Jharkhand to conduct anti-Naxal operations.