Srinagar: It was a proud moment for the J&K Police as Constable Manzoor Ahmad Naik was posthumously conferred with Shaurya Chakra for his gallant action during an anti-militancy operation in south Kashmir last year.
On Tuesday, President Ram Nath Kovind presented Shaurya Chakra to Constable Naik (posthumous), which was received by his widow at the Defence Investiture Ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi. Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu, PMNarendra Modi and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman were also present at the event.
A resident of Dachina village at Salamabad, Uri, close to the LoC, Naik was killed on March 5 last year in a fierce gunfight in Tral, Pulwama, which also left two militants, including a local commander Aqib Bhat, an aide of Burhan Wani and a Pakistani militant, dead.
The Shaurya Chakra is awarded to a policeman rarely. “Manzoor Naik displayed sheer grit and unflinching devotion to duty in engaging the terrorists and made the supreme sacrifice for the nation,” a police spokesman said. He fought the enemy and attained martyrdom. Manzoor Ahmad displayed gallantry by volunteering for a lead role in the operation, which resulted in successful completion of it,” he added.
The spokesman said Naik without caring for his safety and besides being seriously wounded continued to fight till his last breath. “The supreme sacrifice made by the policeman has made all of us proud,” he added.
Manzoor Ahmad joined the force in 2003 and had led several anti-militancy operations during his service. He is survived by his father Fakir Mohammad Naik, wife Nasreena Akhter and son Ariz Manzoor.
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