Rohit Shukla
Rohit Shukla | |
|---|---|
| Born | Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India |
| Allegiance |  India |
| Service | Indian Army |
| Rank |  Major |
| Unit | 44 Rashtriya Rifles |
| Awards |  Shaurya Chakra Sena Medal |
Major Rohit Shukla SC, SM, is an Indian Army Officer of 44 Rashtriya Rifles. He received the Shaurya Chakra, the third highest peacetime military award from the President of India, Ram Nath Kovind at the Defence Investiture Ceremony–I, at a ceremony in Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi on March 27, 2018.[1][2] He is currently posted with the 44 Rashtriya Rifles in Pulwama's Shadimarg area in Jammu & Kashmir.[3] Major Shukla was awarded the Sena Medal on January 26, 2018.[4][5]
Early life and education
Shukla is an alumnus of St. Joseph Academy. He got into Indian Army by getting selected through NDA examination.[6]
Military career
On April 30, 2018, Major Shukla killed the category A++ terrorist of Hizbul Mujahideen, Sameer Tiger in a joint operation by Jammu and Kashmir Police, Indian Army and Central Reserve Police Force. A day before his encounter, Tiger threatened Indian Army, specifically Major Shukla in a viral video.[7] Shukla was injured with a bullet wound on his right hand during the encounter and was undergoing treatment as of May 2018.[8][9][10]
Major Rohit Shukla has commanded more than 52 operations carried out by the Indian Army against terrorists.[11]
Following the incident a rifleman, named Aurangzeb, who served with Shukla, was kidnapped, tortured, and killed, by terrorists.[12][13] They subsequently released gruesome video from his torture, on Twitter. In Shukla's unit every soldier was paired with a partner, or buddy, with each member of the pair watching out for the other. Aurangzeb had been paired with Shukla on the mission where he killed Tiger, and this was the reason he was singled out for retaliation. According to the India Times their video specifically shows Aurangzeb being tortured into admitting he was Shukla's buddy.
India Times speculated that the release of this video might trigger India's News Broadcasting Standards Authority to step in to try to control the rebroadcasting of video and audio from opposition elements.[12] The Army had explicitly called on news agencies to refrain from rebroadcasting the video of Shukla's partner's torture and killing, and several agencies rebroadcast it anyhow.
The Army conducted an inquiry, after the video was released, as the identity of the buddies is classified, and the video suggested there had been a breach of security.[14]
On February 6, 2019, Mehbooba Mufti, a former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, criticized Shukla over his treatment of a civilian captive.[15] She told reporters she had recently visited a youth, in hospital, following interrogation by Shukla.
References
- ^ "Major martyred in J&K gets gallantry award". Daily Excelsior. 28 March 2018.
- ^ "Kirti Chakra & Shaurya Chakra". Press Information Bureau. Ministry of Defence. 25 January 2018.
- ^ "The man behind Tiger's hunt: Major Rohit Shukla". eenaduindia. 1 May 2018.
- ^ "411 Republic Day Gallantry and Other Defence Decorations Announced". Press Information Bureau. 26 January 2019.
- ^ "इस जांबाज ने चुनौती देने वाले आतंकी को उतारा था मौत के घाट, सेना मेडल से सम्मानित" (in Hindi). Dainik Jagaran. 28 January 2019.
- ^ "Family proud of Maj Shukla's heroics". Tribune India. 4 May 2018.
- ^ "How Army Major Rohit Shukla killed Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist 'Tiger' in J&K's Pulwama". Zee News. 30 April 2018.
- ^ Hassan, Ishfaq-ul- (2 May 2018). "J&K gun battle: Sameer Tiger had dared Major Rohit Shukla 24 hours before death". DNA India.
- ^ Hussain, Khalid (30 April 2018). "Army Major who killed Hizbul terrorist Sameer Tiger currently battling for life". DNA India.
- ^ "Family proud of Maj Shukla's heroics". Tribune India. 4 May 2018. Retrieved 15 September 2018.
- ^ Goel, Pallavi (3 May 2018). "You'll Be Proud To Know What This Indian Army Officer Has Done For The Country!". Topyaps.com.
- ^ a b
Shaurya Karanbir Gurung (3 May 2019). "News channels may have to get approval for telecasting material issued by terrorist organisations". India Times. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
In a video released on social-media site, Twitter, he is seen being interrogated by his captors about his closeness to Major Rohit Shukla, who had gunned down a Hizbul Mujahideen commander named Sameer Tiger in Kashmir in April last year. Aurangzeb had confirmed that he was Shukla's 'buddy' (army's buddy system in which two soldiers are paired together).
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Mufti Islah (23 July 2019). "Brothers of Rifleman Aurangzeb, Abducted and Killed by Militants, Join Indian Army to Keep Legacy Alive". CNN-News18. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
Aurangzeb, who was part of the South Kashmir based 44 Battalion Rashtriya Rifles, was waylaid by militants and subsequently killed few kilometres away from his residence.
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Snehesh Alex Philip (7 February 2019). "Indian Army probing two soldiers for 'tipping off' militants who killed rifleman Aurangzeb". ThePrint. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
Surprisingly, the militants seemed to know he was Major Shukla's "buddy", which is information of a highly classified nature.
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"Former Jammu and Kashmir CM Mehbooba Mufti 'insults' India's brave, remains silent over terrorist attacks". Times Now News. Pulwama. 6 February 2019. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti, on Wednesday 'insulted' celebrated Indian Army officer Major Rohit Shukla saying that the officer 'tortured' a J&K youth while probing a matter- Times Now channel reported.
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