Bilal Ahmad: All about the Shaurya Chakra who was martyred in Baramulla's anti-terror ops

Jammu and Kashmir Special Police Officer Bilal Ahmad Magray's mother struggled to hold back tears on Tuesday as the Martyr was awarded with Shaurya Chakra, the country's third-highest courage award for peacetime, on behalf of her son. President Ram Nath Kovind on Monday presented Gallantry Awards at the Defence Investiture Ceremony-I at Rashtrapati Bhavan. During the ceremony, President Kovind accorded several gallantry awards like the Shaurya Chakra, Kirti Chakra and the Vir Chakra.

President Kovind presents Shaurya Chakra to Shri Bilal Ahmad Magray, Special Police Officer, J&K Police (Posthumous).

Who was the braveheart Bilal Ahmad?

Ahmad, during an anti-terror operation in 2019 in Baramulla showed utmost courage by rescuing civilians from the target house. Ahmad displayed sheer bravery as he continued to save the citizens even after getting critically injured by terrorist attacks. As announced by the citation, Bilal Ahmad Magray volunteered himself to the room intervention operational party and thereby evacuate the entrapped people. 

When SPO Bilal Ahamd was on his act of courage, the hiding terrorist launched a number of hand grenades and fired indiscriminately upon him and his operational colleagues, resulting in serious injuries to him and party commander SI Shri Amar Deep and also one civilian namely Sonu Lal. 'The police officer kept firing till he lost consciousness due to excessive bleeding,' the citation added.

The Martyr's mother was seen greeting senior ministers seated behind her after taking her son's award. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh showed a gesture of consoling the elderly woman before she walked away with her son's glory in her hand. The moving clip also showed the security personnel escorting the elderly woman gently patting her on the back to comfort her in a moment when grief clashed with pride.

Gallantry Awards 2021: Martyrs, Bravehearts honoured at Rashtrapati Bhavan

Indian Air Force Wing Commander (now Group Captain) Abhinandan Varthaman was attributed with the Vir Chakra. Apart from Abhinandan Varthaman, President Kovind accorded the Shaurya Chakra (posthumously) to Naib Subedar Sombir for killing an A++ category terrorist during an operation in Jammu and Kashmir. The award was received by Naib Subedar Sombir's wife and mother.