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Driver who saved Amarnath pilgrims gets 2nd highest award

  •   Wed, Jan 24 2018 05:01:35 PM

New Delhi, Jan 24 (PTI): Gujarati bus driver Sheikh Salim Gafur, who defied terrorists' bullets and saved 52 Amarnath pilgrims, has been awarded the 'Uttam Jeevan Raksha Padak', the second highest honour given to civilians for gallantry.

This was announced by the Home Ministry ahead of the Republic Day today.

Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak is the highest honour given to civilians for gallantry.

Gafur has been selected for the honour as he displayed some rare grit and bravery and continued to drive the bus of the Amarnath pilgrims, which came under attack by the militants on July 10, 2017, in Jammu and Kashmir, a home ministry official said.

Seven Amarnath pilgrims were killed and 14 others injured when terrorists opened fire on the bus Gafur was driving near Batengoo in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir while around 52 other bus passengers escaped unharmed due to the presence of mind and bravery of the driver.

Besides, the award, Gafur will also be honoured with Rs one lakh cash at a special function later.

A total of 107 police gallantry medals have been given this year to police personnel with the maximum for Jammu and Kashmir Police (38 medals), followed by CRPF (35 awards), Chhattisgarh (10), Maharashtra (7), Telangana (6) among others. These also include 5 IPS officers.

The data shows that the maximum gallantry awards were given to the security personnel involved in counter-terror operations in Jammu and Kashmir.

Police medals for gallantry have been given to 35 personnel serving in Naxal affected areas and three in the Northeastern region.

As many as seven police officers were awarded police medal for gallantry posthumously. Among them six were from Chattishgarh Police who laid down their lives in anti-Naxal operations at Chintagufa in Sukma district.

CRPF ASI Nand Kishore Prasad has been decorated with police gallantry medal for showing exemplary courage in counter-operation against terrorist who attacked bus carrying BSF personnel on June 3, 2016.

A total of 785 police medals were announced for 2018 of which 616 were for Police Medals for Distinguished Service.
  

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Comment on this article

  • Vincent Rodrigues, Bengaluru/Katapadi

    Thu, Jan 25 2018

    Quite brave and worth for the award having saved so many pilgrims from life danger

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • SMR, Karkala

    Thu, Jan 25 2018

    Sheikh Saleem Gafoor, emerged as a hero after terrorists attacked a bus of pilgrims returning from Amarnath Yatra. Seven pilgrims died in the terrorist attack but the bus driver, Saleem managed to save the lives of the remaining 50 as he drove the rest to safety. While Saleem was being commended for his bravery, Sandesh, a Gujarati newspaper claimed that the driver of the ill-fated bus was not Saleem but Harsh Desai. The same claim was made by another Gujarat Newspaper Diyva Bhaskar.
    Uncomfortable with the idea of a Muslim man saving Hindu lives, a leading Gujarati newspaper carried a report claiming that the ‘real hero’ who saved the yatris was actually Harsh Desai, the son of the bus owner.

    Many Hindutva sites, known for fake news and propaganda were waiting to discredit Saleem. After Sandesh published this article, Dainik Bharat was quick to come out with what it called “an exposé of the secular media” for projecting Saleem a hero. The readers of the propaganda site were also waiting for this news and the post has since been shared over 16,430 shares.
    When mainstream media websites have abandoned responsible journalism, there is little to blame websites like Dainik Bharat for. Spreading hate is the raison d’être for fake news websites. They are quick to discredit any news to the contrary, especially one of communal harmony. Even if their claim is later proven to be false, the damage is done as the post and its screenshots would have already made their way to thousands of WhatsApp groups across the country. Social media users must be careful before they believe what they read on such websites as nine times out of ten it will be a fake claim written in a provocative language with a divisive agenda in mind.
    Lack of people’s trust in the mainstream media has give birth to hundreds of such fake news websites. Sadly, their posts get shared by thousands on social media.
    Today the blessings of 50 lives have rewarded him the second highest award of the nation.
    Jai Hind

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Aravind, Blr

    Wed, Jan 24 2018

    Congratulations! Really commendable job.

    DisAgree Agree [1] Reply Report Abuse

  • santhu birve, Mumbai/Udupi

    Wed, Jan 24 2018

    Congrats...! Hats off to you brother.

    DisAgree Agree [6] Reply Report Abuse

  • Moshu, Mangaluru

    Wed, Jan 24 2018

    Hate mongrs Sanghis will not be pleased.

    DisAgree [6] Agree [20] Reply Report Abuse

  • Nasir, Bajpe

    Wed, Jan 24 2018

    Good news.

    But the award amount should have been more.

    Anyhow good job.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [20] Reply Report Abuse

  • Jossey Saldanha, Mumbai

    Wed, Jan 24 2018

    Sheikh Salim Gafur deserves the Highest ...

    DisAgree [2] Agree [21] Reply Report Abuse

  • S.M. Nawaz Kukkikatte, Dubai

    Wed, Jan 24 2018

    Congratulations! Sheikh Salim Gafur
    You saved not only "Amarnath pilgrims" also saved "Dignity of Indians"

    DisAgree [1] Agree [20] Reply Report Abuse


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