Vir Chakra (VrC)

Captain Rajinder Singh Rana was deployed in Mannar Sector in Operation Pawan. On 30 July 1989, his company was given the task of laying ambushes on Nedukandal Bund with a platoon each on the North and South of road Adampan-Andenkulam. At about 11 15 hours, he observed approximately 50 militants moving on the bund at a distance of400 metres and advancing towards his position. He brought down medium machine gunfire on the militants who got off the bund and then taking cover of the bund, moved into a position closer to his location. The militants brought down effective and intense fire simultaneously using approximately 40-50 automatic weapons and 60 mm mortars from different directions. In exchange of fire, the officer sustained a gun shot injury on his hip and abdomen. Inspite of his injuries and profuse bleeding, he kept on manoeuvring and motivating his men. The officer himself manned the gun for some time and brought down fire on militants, thus inflicting heavy casualties on them. At 1430 hours, when he observed 35-40 militants moving towards the north-east preparing to attack his position, he directed artillery and mortar fire on them.

The officer continued to fight till he fell unconscious. On regaining consciousness, he realised that 14 of his men, including the Junior Commissioned Officer, had been badly injured. At about 1630 hours, his platoon had been practically surrounded from the north-east and south and about 80-100 militants had again formed to attack his position. Captain Rana, though severely injured, crawled to the medium machine gun position and keeping in view the paucity of ammunition brought down controlled volume of effective fire. The fight continued till 1830 hours, when the militants finally disengaged and fled. 

In this encounter which lasted for 7 hours, Captain Rajinder Singh Rana, despite being seriously injured, displayed exemplary courage, initiative and professionalism in the face of the militants, handing out a crushing defeat to the militants, 52 of whom were killed and 32 injured.