Jammu:Fifteen security personnel associated with operations in Jammu and Kashmir, including nine from the J&K Police and six from the Indian Army, figure among the 78 gallantry awardees approved by President Droupadi Murmu on the eve of the 80th Independence Day.
The honours include the prestigious Kirti Chakra and Shaurya Chakra, recognising exceptional courage, leadership and sacrifice displayed during counter-terror operations in Kishtwar, Samba, Kathua and Kulgam.
Among the nine J&K Police personnel, five have been awarded the Kirti Chakra posthumously, while four have been conferred the Shaurya Chakra.
The five J&K Police personnel awarded the Kirti Chakra posthumously are Head Constable Jagbir Singh, SG Constable Jaswant Singh, SG Constable Balvinder Singh, SG Constable Tariq Hussain and Head Constable Bashir Ahmad.
Jagbir Singh, Jaswant Singh, Balvinder Singh and Tariq Hussain made the supreme sacrifice during a fierce counter-terror operation in the forested belt of Samba district on March 27, 2025.
The security teams had been tracking heavily armed foreign terrorists who were hiding in the forests after evading an earlier cordon. During the operation, the terrorists opened indiscriminate fire from a tactically advantageous position. The J&K Police personnel held their ground despite intense firing and grenade attacks.
All four were grievously injured during the exchange of fire and later succumbed to their injuries. Their sacrifice helped pin down the terrorists and contributed to the successful neutralisation of two foreign terrorists.
Head Constable Bashir Ahmad, also awarded the Kirti Chakra posthumously, displayed exceptional courage during a joint counter-terror operation in Dhanuparole village of Kathua district on September 28, 2024.
According to the citation, Bashir Ahmad was carrying a Light Machine Gun when terrorists attempted to break the cordon. He pinned them down and forced them to retreat. Realising that he was preventing their escape, the terrorists specifically targeted him with sophisticated weapons, critically injuring him. He later succumbed to his injuries while being evacuated.
Four other J&K Police personnel have been awarded the Shaurya Chakra.
They are DSP Dheeraj Singh Katoch, Inspector Ajay Singh Chib, DSP Sukhvir Singh and ASI Niyaz Ahmad.
Dheeraj Singh Katoch and Ajay Singh Chib were recognised for their leadership during the March 2025 Samba operation. Despite heavy terrorist fire, the officers maintained their positions and continued directing their teams from the front. The operation ultimately resulted in the neutralisation of two foreign terrorists and the recovery of a cache of arms and war-like stores.
Sukhvir Singh and Niyaz Ahmad were honoured for their bravery during the Dhanuparole operation in Kathua. Both officers sustained firearm injuries while resisting the attempt by terrorists to break the security cordon.
Six Army personnel honoured
Six Army personnel associated with counter-terror operations in Jammu and Kashmir have also been recognised.
Major Jitendra Rathee of 2 Para (Special Forces) has been awarded the Kirti Chakra for his exceptional courage during an operation in the jungles of Kishtwar on February 22, 2025.
Acting on precise intelligence about the presence of terrorists in a hideout, Major Rathee led his squad towards the target. Despite heavy and indiscriminate firing, he moved close to the hideout and ensured the safe extraction of his men and the canine deployed during the operation.
He subsequently manoeuvred to an advantageous position and engaged the terrorists, ultimately neutralising three foreign terrorists.
Havildar Gajendra Singh of 2 Para (Special Forces) has been awarded the Kirti Chakra posthumously for his extraordinary courage during an operation in Kishtwar on January 18, 2026.
Operating in dense jungle terrain at an altitude of more than 3,000 metres, Gajendra Singh detected a suspected terrorist hideout. When the terrorists opened fire, he fearlessly moved forward and evacuated two wounded scouts.
Despite sustaining multiple bullet wounds, he ensured both comrades reached safety before re-engaging the terrorists. He critically injured a wanted foreign terrorist but succumbed to his injuries at the site.
Four Army personnel have also been awarded the Shaurya Chakra.
They are Major Vipeen Kumar of 11 Rashtriya Rifles, Lance Naik Narender Sindhu of 9 Rashtriya Rifles, Lance Naik Kapil Dev of 11 Rashtriya Rifles and Sepoy Jaswinder Singh of 7 Sikh Light Infantry.
Major Vipeen Kumar was honoured for his tactical leadership during a counter-terror operation in Kishtwar in February 2026. Leading an inner cordon through difficult jungle and mountainous terrain, he closed in on well-entrenched terrorists and engaged them at close range, helping contain and neutralise a terrorist.
Lance Naik Narender Sindhu has been awarded the Shaurya Chakra posthumously for his bravery during an operation in Kulgam on September 8, 2025.
Despite coming under indiscriminate fire and suffering grievous injuries, Sindhu displayed remarkable composure and tactical clarity. He engaged and eliminated a hardcore Category A+ terrorist before succumbing to his injuries.
Lance Naik Kapil Dev was honoured for his bravery during an operation in Kishtwar in February 2026. Acting as a scout for a Ghatak team, he detected a terrorist hiding in dense forest and, despite coming under fire from multiple directions, moved close and eliminated the terrorist.
Sepoy Jaswinder Singh of 7 Sikh Light Infantry has been awarded the Shaurya Chakra for his daring action during a counter-terror operation in Kathua on January 23, 2026.
Despite heavy rainfall and difficult terrain, he led an assault team towards a suspected house. After confirming the presence of an armed terrorist inside, he swiftly entered and neutralised the terrorist at close range.
The gallantry awards recognise the courage and sacrifice of personnel who operated in some of Jammu and Kashmir’s most challenging counter-terror environments.
The 15 J&K-based security personnel — nine from the J&K Police and six from the Army — represent a strong recognition of the role played by security forces in confronting terrorism and protecting lives in the Union Territory.
Their citations, spanning operations in Kishtwar, Samba, Kathua and Kulgam, highlight not only battlefield courage but also leadership, camaraderie, devotion to duty and, in several cases, the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.
