Hav Hangpan Dada of 35 Rashtriya Rifles killed three terrorists in the snowbound high ground of Naugam, Kupwara, on 26 May 2016.
The chase across the snow at Naugam
On 26 May 2016, terrorists broke contact with Army stops in the Naugam sector of Kupwara district and fled. Havildar Hangpan Dada and his section were sent to catch them. He moved fast across snowbound high ground, blocked their escape route and took them by surprise.
Heavy fire pinned his section down. He moved to a flank and closed in on the terrorists sheltering among rocks and boulders, and the official account says this saved his comrades' lives. He killed two at close quarters and was grievously wounded.
He went after the others. He came face to face with a third and killed him in hand-to-hand combat, and then died. The official account credits him with killing three on his own and says his action led to the death of the fourth.
Borduria, Arunachal Pradesh
Dada, army number 13622536N, was born on 2 October 1979 in Borduria village, Tirap district, Arunachal Pradesh. He joined 3 Para (Special Forces) in 1997, later moved to the Assam Regiment, and was posted to 35 Rashtriya Rifles in May 2016, the month he died.
The Ashoka Chakra was announced on the eve of Independence Day 2016. His wife, Chasen Lowang Dada, received it from President Pranab Mukherjee.
Official text from the Press Information Bureau
Havildar Hangpan Dada showed exemplary courage, selfless devotion and conspicuous gallantry beyond the call of duty during an encounter with a group of terrorist in J&K and killed three of them before attaining martyrdom. On 26 May 2016, when terrorists managed to break contact with our stops at Naugam Sector in Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir, Late Havildar Hangpan Dada along with his section was tasked to chase and trap fleeing terrorists. Displaying ingenuity and understanding of ground, the ex-commando moved with incredible speed in inhospitable snow bound high altitude terrain. This move blocked the escape route of the terrorists and surprised them. In the ensuing firefight, when his section was pinned down by heavy and accurate fire, with utter disregard to his own safety he moved to a flank and closed in with the terrorists sheltered in rocks and boulders, resulting in saving lives of his comrades. He displayed exemplary courage and presence of mind and killed two terrorists at close quarters. In the exchange of fire, he was grievously injured. Undeterred, the NCO went after the remaining terrorists. In the process, he came face to face with the third terrorist whom he killed in hand to hand combat before making the supreme sacrifice. Thus, Havildar Hangapan Dada killed three terrorists in the operation singlehandedly and his action led to elimination of the fourth terrorist.
Source: Press Information Bureau release. Reproduced as printed, including any errors in the original.
Cover image: Indian Army, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Resized for this page. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hangpan_Dada.jpg