JK policeman given 'Shaurya Chakra' posthumously for exemplary courage
New Delhi, Oct 11: A Jammu and Kashmir Police constable has been awarded the 'Shaurya Chakra' posthumously for showing exemplary courage while fighting militants in the restive state, officials said.
Manzoor Ahmed Naik, who was a resident of Uri in Baramulla district, laid down his life at Haffu Nigeenpora village of Tral in South Kashmir's Pulwama district on March 5, 2017 during a gunfight with militants.
Naik was a part of cordon and search operation in the area jointly conducted by the Jammu and Kashmir Police, the Rashtriya Rifles and the CRPF.
On the day, the 33-year-old policeman, who became a father soon after he lost his life, was trying to flush out militants holed up in a house, after escaping a volley of fire in his first attempt, a home ministry official said.
In his first attempt, Naik, undeterred by blazing fire from assault rifles, crawled in the pitch dark and placed explosives around the house. As he started retreating, he came under heavy fire, but he escaped unharmed. The explosives planted by him, though, brought down half of the house.
After a wait of two hours, when the exchange of firing stopped, Naik again volunteered to plant explosives to bring down what remained of the house. As he charged towards the house second time, he was hit by a volley of bullets from a militant.
Despite, his wounds, the constable placed the explosives on remaining part of the house before breathing his last, the official said.
During the encounter, two militants of Hizbul Mujahideen were killed and large quantity of arms and ammunition including 2 AK-47 Rifles were recovered from the possession of the killed militants.
Naik, without caring for his personal safety and besides being seriously wounded continued to fight till his last breath, another official said.
Honouring his exemplary bravery, Naik was awarded Shaurya Chakra posthumously by the government, the official said.
The Shaurya Chakra is the country's military award for valour, courage action and self-sacrifice. It is third in order of precedence of peacetime gallantry awards after the Ashoka Chakra and the Kirti Chakra.
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Indian vessel 'Jag Laadki' carrying over 80,000 MT crude oil reaches Gujarat's Mundra Port
Ahmedabad, Mar 18 (PTI): Indian-flagged tanker 'Jag Laadki', carrying around 80,886 metric tonnes (MT) of crude oil, arrived at Mundra Port in Gujarat on Wednesday amid the West Asia conflict, officials said.
A day earlier, LPG carrier 'Nanda Devi' arrived at Vadinar port in Gujarat's Devbhumi Dwarka district, carrying 46,500 metric tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) navigating through the Strait of Hormuz. On Monday, another vessel - 'Shivalik' - carrying LPG docked at Mundra Port.
Adani Ports, which operates Mundra Port, said in a statement that the crude oil carried by Jag Laadki was sourced from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and loaded at Fujairah Port there.
"Measuring 274.19 metres in length overall and 50.04 metres in beam, the tanker boasts a deadweight tonnage of approximately 164,716 tonnes and a gross tonnage of about 84,735 tonnes," it said.
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The tanker's arrival at the Mundra Port underscores the facility's critical role in handling substantial crude imports, it said.
"This delivery supports major refinery relies on such shipments to maintain operations and bolster India's energy security during supply disruptions in the region," Adani Ports added.
The port provided the safe berthing of the vessel and maritime coordination in safeguarding vital energy lifelines of India, it said.
Fujairah Port in UAE faced drone and missile attacks during the ongoing Israel-US and Iran war.
India imports about 88 per cent of its crude oil, 50 per cent of natural gas and 60 per cent of LPG needs. Before the US-Israel strikes on Iran on February 28 and Tehran's retaliation, more than half of India's crude imports, about 30 per cent of gas and 85-90 per cent of LPG imports came from Middle East countries such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
The conflict has led to a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, the main transit route for Gulf energy supplies. While India has partly offset crude supply disruptions by sourcing oil from countries including Russia, gas supplies have been curtailed to industrial users and LPG availability to commercial establishments such as hotels and restaurants has been reduced.
