Srinagar, Aug 15: Deputy Superintendent of Police Humayun Muzammil Bhat, who was killed in an encounter in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag district last September, has been posthumously awarded the Kirti Chakra, the second-highest peacetime gallantry award.

A Special Police Officer (SPO) of J&K Police, Abdul Latif, has also been awarded the Shaurya Chakra for his exceptional services on the anti-terror front.

34-year-old DSP Bhat was killed in an operation that began on the night of September 13, 2023, when the senior officers came under heavy fire as they approached the suspected hideout in the Gadole forest in Kokernag, Anantnag.

Due to the intense firefight, Colonel Manpreet Singh, Major Ashish Dhonchak, and the DSP were killed. During the initial shootout, another soldier was also injured, and his body was found on the third day of the operation. The operation lasted for seven days, during which top Lashkar-e-Toiba commander Uzair Khan was killed.

Colonel Manpreet Singh was also posthumously awarded the Kirti Chakra on the eve of Independence Day.

J&K, the Director General of Police, R R Swain said awarding prestigious gallantry awards by the President of India was a proud moment for Jammu and Kashmir.

“ I congratulate the families of the awardees and express pride in the gallantry and dedication of the personnel of the Jammu and Kashmir Police. The awards are a testament to the bravery and sacrifice of the personnel of the Jammu and Kashmir Police, who are working tirelessly to maintain peace and order in the Union Territory,” he said.

UNI