Gallantry award: Driver who had saved 52 gets 2nd highest honour

New Delhi: The bus driver from Gujarat, Sheikh Salim Gafur, who saved 52 Amarnath pilgrims during a terror attack, has been awarded the Uttam Jeevan Raksha Padak, which is the second highest gallantry honour given to civilians. Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak is the highest honour given to civilians for gallantry.

Home ministry officials claimed Salim Gafur had shown exemplary courage when militants attacked a bus carrying Amarnath pilgrim in July last year and continued to drive despite even in wake of heavy firing. This resulted in saving several passengers even while seven pilgrim were killed while 14 others were injured in the incident.

In addition to the gallantry award, Salim Gafur would also be given a cash prize of `1 lakh at a function to be held later. The incident took place near Batemgoo in the Anantnag region of Jammu and Kashmir when militants after a long gap targeted Amarnath Yatra pilgrims.  “The bus driver showed exemplary courage and presence of mind which resulted in saving in several passengers and this has now been recognised by the home ministry,’’an official added.

The home ministry has also given 107 police gallantry medals this year to police personnel. Maximum of these, 38 police personnel, are from Jammu and Kashmir Police, which is followed by CRPF with 35 awards, Chhattisgarh has 10 medals while , Maharashtra has 7 and  Telangana has been given 6. The list also includes 5 IPS officers.

Officials claimed maximum medals have gone to J&K Police primarily due to counter insurgency operations in the State. Similarly, 35 police personnel involved in anti-Naxal operations have also been given the gallantry medal out of which six of them are from the Chattishgarh police who died in a Maoist attack.