Late JP Nirala, Ashok Chakra awardee, helped kill six terrorists
On 69th Republic Day, prestigious gallantry awards were given to brave personnel of India's security forces. The Ashok Chakra went to Late Corporal Jyoti Prakash Nirala, the third recipient of India's highest peacetime gallantry award in the Air Force. Nirala's actions led to the killing of six dreaded terrorists in Kashmir, but he was martyred in the operations. Here's the fearless corporal's story.
On November 18, Nirala's elite Garud squad launched counter-terror operations in a Bandipora village. He positioned himself close to the approach of the target house to prevent the terrorists from escaping. Soon, they rushed out of the house opening fire. Nirala was hit, but he still gunned down two of them and injured another two. All six terrorists were killed, but Nirala died too.
This is the third time an IAF officer is receiving the Ashok Chakra after Flight Lieutenant Suhas Biswas (1953) and Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma (1984). President Ram Nath Kovind handed over Nirala's award to his wife Sushma Nand and mother Malti Devi.
The Ashok Chakra is one of the 390 gallantry awards approved by Kovind this year. These include the Kirti Chakra, the second highest peacetime gallantry award, which went to Major Vijayant Bist of the J&K Light Infantry. The Shaurya Chakras, the third highest honor, was conferred on Corporal Nilesh Kumar Nayan and Sergeant Khairnar Milind Kishor, both posthumous, and 12 others.
