Vir Chakra (VrC)

Havildar Rup Lal was commander of a vehicle check post at Kankarayan Kulam on Road Vavuniya-Mankulam in Sri Lanka. On 2 November 1988, five Other Ranks were also deployed at the check post. The vehicle check post was attacked by 10 to 15 militants who approached it in a civil lorry. The militants sprayed the check post with bullets from automatic weapons and threw grenades, killing five personnel on the spot and seriously injuring Havildar Rup Lal. The militants rushed to the dead personnel, snatched their weapons and tried to escape in the vehicle. Though seriously wounded, Havildar Rup Lai continued to fire with his carbine and prevented the militants from escaping. He shot down two militants who tried to snatch his weapon. He was again hit, but continued to hold on to his post and wounded two more militants. Meanwhile, reinforcement reached the spot and four more militants were killed, their vehicle destroyed and three weapons recovered.

Havildar Rup Lal displayed conspicuous courage and valour in his fight with the militants.