CRPF ASI Mohan Lal who lost his life in Pulwama attack awarded President Police Medal for Gallantry posthumously

Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) ASI Mohan Lal who lost his life during the Pulwama attack in 2019, awarded the President Police Medal for Gallantry (PPMG) posthumously on Monday.

Mohan Lal has been awarded the medal for spotting the IED-laden car and having fired to stop the car before it rammed into a bus in the convoy that killed the suicide bomber and 40 CRPF personnel on February 14, 2019.

CRPF in a statement gave details about what had happened on February 14, 2019, the day when the Pulwama attack happened.

"The security of Jammu-Srinagar National Highway 44 from milestone 269.2 (Barsoo) to milestone 285 (Lasjan) was assigned to 110 CRPF. On 14 February 2019, at about 3:10 hour, a convoy of CRPF vehicles coming from Jammu to Srinagar entered into the AOR of 110 CRPF. ASI Mohan Lal of 110 Bn CRPF, was performing the duties of Picket Commander of the Road Opening Party at milestone 272, near the BSNL tower at Lethpora, Pulwama," CRPF said.

After the passage of a few vehicles of the convoy, he noticed a civil car, running alongside the convoy and trying to enter between the convoy vehicles.

Mohan Lal sensed something suspicious and rushed to stop the suspicious vehicle. He signalled and chased the car to stop, but could not match the car's speed. Ultimately, finding no other option, he fired towards the suspicious car to stop, but the car rammed into a nearby running CRPF bus, and a huge blast took place.

The car was laden with huge explosives and caused a massive impact, as a result, 40 CRPF personnel were killed. Mohan Lal of 110 CRPF was among the 40 personnel who had died in the blast.

( With inputs from ANI )