Srinagar, Oct 31: Twenty officers of the Jammu and Kashmir Police have been awarded the “Kendriya Grihmantri Dakshata Padak” by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for their exceptional role in Operation Mahadev, which neutralized militants behind the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.
The awardees include IG Kashmir Vidhi Kumar Birdi, DIG Central Kashmir Pande Rajiv Omprakash, and SSP Srinagar G.V. Sundeep Chakraborty, among other senior and field officers who played key roles in the counter-terror operation.
Operation Mahadev resulted in the killing of three Pakistani militants, including Suleiman alias Asif, the prime planner of the Pahalgam attack, along with his associates Jibran and Hamza Afghani. Jibran was also involved in the Sonamarg Tunnel attack in October 2024.
During the operation, security forces recovered one M4 carbine, two AK rifles, and a large cache of ammunition.
The other recipients of the medal include SP Tanweer Ahmed Dar, SP Zoheb Tanveer, DSPs Vikram Nag, Mubashir Naiz, and Shakir Hassan, along with several Inspectors, SIs, and constables who participated in the high-risk operation. (Agencies)
