Assistant Commandant
Assistant Commandant is a title often given to the second-in-command of a military, uniformed service, training establishment or academy. This usage is common in English-speaking nations, and in some countries it may be a military or police rank. ...
Pramod Kumar Satapathy,
AC was a Police Officer of the Special Operation Group of
Odisha Special Armed Police
Odisha (English: , ), formerly Orissa ( the official name until 2011), is an Indian state located in Eastern India. It is the 8th largest state by area, and the 11th largest by population. The state has the third largest population of Sch ...
, which comes under India's
Odisha Police
The Odisha Police abbreviated as either OP or OPS, is the law enforcement agency for the state of Odisha in India. It is headquartered in Cuttack, the former capital of Odisha.
The Odisha Police is headed by a Director General of Police, curren ...
who was awarded India's highest peace time gallantry award
Ashoka Chakra
Ashoka (, ; also ''Asoka''; 304 – 232 BCE), popularly known as Ashoka the Great, was the third emperor of the Maurya Empire of Indian subcontinent during to 232 BCE. His empire covered a large part of the Indian subcontinent, ...
.
On the night of 15 February 2008, about 500 armed
naxalites attacked the police at various locations in and around
Bhubaneshwar
Bhubaneswar (; ) is the capital and largest city of the States and territories of India, Indian state of Odisha. The region, especially the old town, was historically often depicted as ''Ekamra Kshetra'' (area (''kshetra'') adorned with mango tr ...
,
Odisha
Odisha (English: , ), formerly Orissa ( the official name until 2011), is an Indian state located in Eastern India. It is the 8th largest state by area, and the 11th largest by population. The state has the third largest population of ...
, India. On hearing this news, Shri Satapathy along with just 20 available police personnel reached inside the jungle in
Nayagarh
Nayagarh is both a town and the municipality headquarters of the Nayagarh district in the Indian state of Odisha.
Geography
Nayagarh is located at with an average elevation of 178 metres (584 feet).
It was the Rukhi mountain to the south a ...
and launched an assault on the hiding militants. In the ensuing encounter, Shri Satapathy bravely led the operations but ultimately got
killed in action.
Ashoka Chakra awardee
For this act of courage, the President of India posthumously awarded him with the
Ashok Chakra
Ashoka (, ; also ''Asoka''; 304 – 232 BCE), popularly known as Ashoka the Great, was the third emperor of the Maurya Empire of Indian subcontinent during to 232 BCE. His empire covered a large part of the Indian subcontinent, s ...
on Republic Day, 2009.
The official citation for the
Ashoka Chakra Award
The Ashoka Chakra (alternative spelling: Ashok Chakra) is India's highest peacetime military decoration awarded for valor, courageous action, or self-sacrifice away from the battlefield. It is the peacetime equivalent of the Param Vir Chakra ( ...
reads:
References
2008 deaths
Year of birth missing
Recipients of the Ashoka Chakra (military decoration)
Naxalite–Maoist insurgency
Odisha Police
Indian police officers killed in the line of duty
Ashoka Chakra
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