The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) today announced gallantry medals for 20 Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel for displaying bravery during standoffs and clashes with Chinese Army in the eastern Ladakh region last year.

Of the total 23 gallantry medals bestowed upon ITBP personnel, 20 are for operations that took place during the May-June 2020 clashes with the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in Ladakh, where the central paramilitary is deployed shoulder-to-shoulder with the Army as part of its primary mandate to guard the 3,488-km-long icy Line of Actual Control (LAC).

Out of the 20, eight personnel have been awarded the Police Medal for Gallantry (PMG) for their gallant act, meticulous planning and tactical insightfulness and for defending the motherland in Galwan Nalla on June 15, the ITBP said in a statement.

Six personnel have been awarded with the PMG for gallant action during violent face off on May 18 in the Finger IV area, while the rest six have been decorated with the same medal for their gallant action near Hot Springs in Ladakh on the same day, it said.

“This is the highest number of gallantry medals awarded to the force for the bravery of its men in border face offs, skirmishes and border guarding duties,” ITBP spokesperson Vivek Kumar Pandey said.

Three ITBP personnel have also been awarded the PMG for displaying courage, grit and determination in anti-Naxal operations in Chhattisgarh, the statement added.

Highest number of medals

• ITBP spokesperson Vivek Kumar Pandey says this is the highest number of gallantry medals awarded to the paramilitary force.
• 8 get Police Medal for gallantry for their role in Galwan clash on June 15 last year.
• 6 get recognition for facing Chinese at Finger IV and 6 others honoured for Hot Springs incident on May 18 last year.

Courtesy: The Tribune India: 14th August, 2021