Naxalite-Maoist insurgency |
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The Rajnandgaon ambush occurred on 12 July 2009, when at least 29 members of the Indian Police were killed in an ambush attack by Maoist rebels in Rajnandgaon, 90 km (56 mi) from Raipur (India's Chhattisgarh state).The Rajnandgaon ambush is one of the biggest instances of naxal attacks in the state of Chhattisgarh in which 29 Police Personnel including The Superintendent of Police of Rajnadgaon district, Shri Vinod Kumar Chaubey, was martyred. Chaubey was a member of The elite Indian Police Service of 1998 batch. It was the first and only naxal incident in Chhattisgarh till date to have claimed the life of an officer of the Indian Police Service. For the immense gallantry displayed by Chaubey in this horrific incident, The president of India awarded him with the second highest award for gallantry in India, The Kirti Chakra. He is the only officer in the state to have received a gallantry award of The Ashoka Chakra Series. The citation for Kirti Chakra reads as follows -
On July 12, 2009 at 0700 hrs, Shri Vinod Kumar Choubey, Superintendent of Police, Rajnandgaon received a message that naxalites have attacked Madanwara outpost of PS Manpur, District Rajnandangaon and killed two policemen. Sensing the serious consequences of the incident, Shri Choubey, SP, and the IGP rushed to the spot from their respective Headquarters. En route, Shri Choubey’s carcade was ambushed by the naxalites near police station Manpur. However, he kept moving and instructed the ASI at PS Manpur to come in a mine proof vehicle (MPV) with additional force. The naxalites had laid fresh road blocks on the road. Shri Choubey cleared the blocs and bravely reached the site where a fierce fighting was going on between the police and naxalites. The MPV of police was attacked with bullets and bombs. The men in MPV were in a perilous capture and death situation but were fighting. The IGP’s party and SP’s party kept attacking the naxalites. Timely intervention saved the trapped policemen in a fierce battle. A transport bus of civilians which had entered amidst the ambush was also rescued to safety. About 300 naxalites came from the forest firing fiercely. Many climbed up the trees and threw grenades incessantly at the police party. Police was caught in a precarious situation and were exposed in the open without any cover. They were being fired at from all directions. However, the police party led by Shri Choubey retained their nerves and despite the naxalites’ numerical and topographical advantage, courageously took on the attack and retaliated formidably while making concerted efforts to save the life of their men in grave situation with the reinforcement not in sight. In this adverse situation, Shri Choubey leading from the front as leader of the party decided to make a dent in the naxal attack, and moved from his position and sprang towards the naxalites in the trenches 10 meters away and fired at them. This bold and unexpected counterattack caused a flutter of panic amongst the naxalites and forced them to retreat behind the large rocks. Thus emboldened policemen opened fire and continued the attack. A fierce uneven battle ensued. Shri Choubey fought heroically with iron determination and raw grit. In the continued firing, he was grievously hurt, but continued to fire and ultimately made the supreme sacrifice of his life at the altar of duty. He displayed an exceptional quality of leadership and bravery worth emulating where an officer rose to the occasion and laid down his life saving his men from deadly attack of the naxalites. For this exemplary and gallant act he was awarded Kirti Chakra, posthumously.
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References
Communist Party of India (Maoist)
India (Chhattisgarh Police)