Vir Chakra (VrC)

Naib Subedar Bhim BahadurThapa of 4th Gorkha Rifles was inducted into the Bilafondla Complex in the Siachen Glacier area. On 18 September 1987, his post suffered heavy casualties. He was ordered to take over as the Platoon Commander. On the night of 24 September 1987, the enemy launched a determined attack, preceded by heavy artillery and mortar shelling. When Naib Subedar Bhim Bahadur Thapa was moving from trench to trench encouraging his men and directing the fire, he received a severe injury on the left shoulder.

Regardless ofhis injury, he kept exercising effective control over his platoon, which managed to beat back two attacks. Again, at 0300 hours, the enemy launched yet another attack. Unmindful of profuse bleeding from his injury, he moved from trench-to-trench encouraging his men to fight till the last. An artillery shell landed in front of him and partially blinded him. In spite of the second injury, he refused to relinquish his command till the morning of25 September 1987, by which time the situation had stabilised.

Naib Subedar Bhim Bahadur Thapa displayed gallantry and extreme devotion to duty through the operation.