“A nation that honours sacrifice and bravery honours itself, and it would be betrayal by society if a soldier deserving a gallantry is denied the same,” the Delhi High Court has said.
It made the observations while ordering the Centre to reconsider the case of CRPF jawan Rajesh Shukla, whose involvement helped gun down Khalistan Commando Force (Zaffarwal) chief Khajan Singh and his accomplice in Punjab in 1992.
Mr. Shukla was shot four times in the abdomen. In fact, one of the bullets damaged his spine. However, he did not give up fighting. This compelled the terrorists to retreat into a house, where they were trapped by CRPF members and killed.
Vide notifications in 2010 and 2011, police medals were awarded even for past acts of gallantry. However, Mr. Shukla was denied the Police or the President’s Police Medal on the grounds that the FIR registered soon after the incident dated March 19, 1992, was silent on the role played by him.
Mr. Shukla was in constant communication with the Union Ministry of Home Affairs for consideration of his case for a President’s Police or Police Medal. Denied the same on the basis of the FIR filed by the Punjab Police, he moved the Delhi High Court.
In directing the Centre to consider his case afresh, the Bench noted that the case diary prepared by the then Senior Superintendent of Police records Mr. Shukla’s act of bravery.
“The petitioner [Mr. Shukla] was injured when he engaged the terrorists, whom the petitioner saw fleeing into sugarcane fields. As the petitioner fired at the terrorists, they returned fire. The petitioner suffered four bullet injuries. He did not relent. He continued to inch forward and fire at the terrorists, who were forced to retreat. This aspect has been completely overlooked. The result was that the terrorists could not escape and were shot dead by other members of the force,” said a Bench of Justices Pradeep Nandrajog and Pratibha Rani.
“A brave soldier needs to be recognised for his commitment to serve the nation with dignity and honour. It would indeed be betrayal by society if a soldier deserving a gallantry is denied the same. By acknowledging and endorsing acts of bravery, sacrifice and exemplary devotion to duty, a nation fosters and encourages similar acts from its citizens, and sets high standards of conduct in public affairs,”
The case diary record states that notwithstanding the injuries received, the petitioner continued to engage the terrorists. He was assisted by constable Randhir Singh, who also sustained injuries. The terrorists retreated into the house of one Mahinder Kaur, where they were trapped by CRPF members and killed.
A brave soldier needs to be recognised for his commitment to serve the nation with dignity and honour
The soldier was shot four times in the abdomen. In fact, one of the bullets damaged his spine
