Soldier Hangpan Dada who died fighting terrorists in J&K posthumously honoured with Ashok Chakra

New Delhi: Army Havildar Hangpan Dada who died fighting terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir some three months ago has been posthumously honoured with the Ashok Chakra, the country's top peace-time military award.

Havildar Hangpan Dada was a resident of Arunachal Pradesh.

On the eve of Independence Day, the government has announced gallantry medals for more than 1,000 personnel.

Besides Hangpan Dada, National Security Guard lieutenant colonel Niranjan EK was posthumously awarded the Shaura Chakra, the country’s third-highest peace-time army award, the Hindustan Times reported.

All together, the government has announced one Ashok Chakra, 14 Shaurya Chakras, 63 Sena Medals, two Nau Sena Medals and two Vayu Sena Medals.

Three of the seven President’s police medal (PPMG) for gallantry went to Indo-Tibetan Border Force (ITBP) personnel – Subhash Chandra, Virender Singh and Sunil Bisht -- for thwarting attacks at Indian Consulates at Mazar-e-Sharif and Jalalabad in Afghanistan early this year, the report said.

Seven other ITBP personnel Sandip Ghosh, Harinandan Gururani, Sastish Kumar, Mohardhwaj, Dinesh Sharma, Ravindra Singh and Bhoopendra were conferred with the police medal for gallantry (PMG).

Four more president's police medal for gallantry were also announced.

The CRPF was decorated with 43 medals.

The government also announced PMG to 170 personnel, President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service to 88 personnel and Police Medal for Meritorious Service to 683 personnel, the report added.