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The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) has recommended the names of at least 21 of its men for gallantry medals that faced the Chinese during faceoffs and skirmishes in Galwan Valley in Eastern Ladakh in May-June.
About 294 ITBP personnel have been awarded the DGs commendation rolls and insignias by SS Deswal, DG ITBP on the eve of Independence Day, 2020. Another 6 personnel have been awarded for their courage in anti-naxal operations in Chhattisgarh.
The troops not only effectively used shield to protect themselves but also responded fiercely to PLA advancing troops and brought the situation under control, the ITBP said in a release today. With highest order of professional skills, ITBP troops fought shoulder to shoulder and also brought the injured Indian Army troops to the rear, it further said.
Even when the ITBP troops fought the whole night, they received minimum casualties by giving befitting reply to the stone palters of the PLA. At places, they gave determined standoff about 17 to 20 hours throughout the intervening nights, it added.
The ITBP said due to the high altitude training and maneuver experience of the force in the Himalayas deployments, the ITBP troops kept the PLA troops at bay and due to the all-out and befitting response of ITBP jawans at almost all fronts, many areas were safeguarded in the hyper sensitive areas.
The force also recommended the names of 318 ITBP personnel and 40 other CAPFs personnel for the award of Union Home Minister Special Operation Medals for their dedicated services in the fight against Covid-19. The ITBP has been at the forefront of the COVID-19 battle since January 2020 when it had established the biggest Quarantine facility in Chhawla Camp for Wuhan and Italy evacuees.
Besides dedicating its hospitals for Covid-19 patients of the CAPFs/CPOs, it is also looking after the world’s biggest 10,000-bed capacity Sardar Patel Covid19 Care Centre and Hospital at Radha Soami Beas, Chhatarpur, New Delhi since July 5.
