JK CRPF camp attack: 20 troops decorated with DG disc

Twenty security personnel were today decorated with the DG disc for killing four terrorists who attempted a 'fidayeen' attack on a CRPF camp in Bandipora district of Jammu and Kashmir.
CRPF Director General (DG) R R Bhatnagar flew down to the Valley and met the troops of the 45th battalion in Sumbal. Jammu and Kashmir police DGP S P Vaid accompanied him.
Both the chiefs jointly decorated the troops, from CRPF as well as the JK Police, and pinned DG discs on the chests of the chosen 20 men, who undertook the operation along with others in the wee hours yesterday.

Those awarded include Commandant of the 45th CRPF battalion Iqbal Ahmad, Assistant Commandants Shakar Lal Jat and Pankaj Hallu and two sentries whose were at the front and foiled the militants' bid to breach the camp fence, constables Dinesh Raja and Prafulla Kumar, and guard commander Head Constable Pankaj Kumar.
Few others from the Central Reserve Police Force and JK Police were also decorated with the honour, a senior official said.
The DG disc is given to the troops in recognition of excellent service and undertaking special operations fraught with risk and danger.

The two sentries made the first contact with the terrorists and rained heavy gunfire to thwart their attempts to breach the camp security. The gun battle ended with the elimination of the four terrorists.

The heavily armed terrorists had tried to storm the CRPF camp in a pre-dawn 'suicide' attack in Sumbal, but were killed in retaliatory fire by the security forces led by the CRPF.
The two forces will also recommend some of their personnel involved in the operation for gallantry awards, official said.