Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Oct 31: Twenty officers of the Jammu and Kashmir Police have been awarded the prestigious “Kendriya Grihmantri Dakshata Padak” by the Union Home Ministry for their exceptional role in Operation Mahadev-a major counter-terrorist mission that led to elimination of three Pakistani terrorists-including the key planner of the Pahalgam attack.
Among the recipients are Inspector General of Police (Kashmir) Vidhi Kumar Birdi, DIG Central Kashmir Pande Rajiv Omprakash, and SSP Srinagar GV Sundeep Chakraborty. They, along with SP Cargo Tanweer Ahmed Dar and SP East Zoheb Tanveer, were recognized for leading the high-risk Dachigam encounter with precision and professionalism.
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The coordinated operation, carried out by the J&K Police in close synergy with other security agencies, ensured the neutralization of the heavily armed terrorists without any civilian harm.
Officials revealed that one of the slain militants, Sulieman alias Asif, was the mastermind behind the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and was also linked to the October 2024 Sonamarg Tunnel assault.
During the operation, security personnel recovered a significant cache of arms and ammunition, including an M4 carbine, two AK rifles, and other warlike stores.
Other awardees include DSPs Vikram Nag, Mubashir Naiz, Shakir Hassan, Inspector Taseer Hamid, SIs Anchal Singh, Firoz Ahmad Dar, ASI Basharat Rasool Shah, ASI Mohammed Shafi, HCs Javed Ahmed, Sandeep Khajuria, SGCTs Varun Singh, Mehmood Khan, and Constables Suhail Abbas, and Basharat Qadir.
Officials described Operation Mahadev as one of the most successful and meticulously executed counter-terror operations in the recent times, showcasing the J&K Police’s unwavering commitment and tactical excellence in maintaining peace and security across the Union Territory.
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