Vir Chakra (VrC)

Sepoy Rabi Kumar Deb Barma was a Rifleman in his platoon tasked to carry out search of area astride Road Mullaitivu (Sri Lanka). On 3 July 1988, when his platoon was carrying out its task, it came under a heavy fire of AK-47, G-3 and hand grenades. The fire was so intense that before the platoon could occupy a suitable position from where they could return fire three personnel were hit by bullets and were temporarily incapacitated, Sepoy Barma observed that there were 18 to 20 militants. He immediately went to ground and crawled towards the militants. His action motivated others to follow him. When he was in close range of the militants, he charged and lulled a militant dead and injured another. The charge by the section unnerved the militants, who immediately came out of their position and ran for their lives. Sepoy Barma pursued the militants and as he was doing so, a burst of AK-47 rifle hit him on the left side of the chest. The soldier later succumbed to his injury.