Vir Chakra (VrC)

On 8 July 1989, a patrol party consisting of eight personnel spotted two hardcore militants going on a bicycle. On seeing the army vehicle, the militants discarded their bicycle in panic, and ran for safety. One of the militants, taking advantage of compound walls and built-up area, escaped. Naik Shridhar Vithal Kurankar, driver of the Commanding Officer's vehicle, swiftly manoeuvered his vehicle to pursue the second militant. Naik Kurankar knocked down the militant, but unknowingly applied the brakes, bringing the vehicle to a screeching halt when it was about to run over the militant. The Commanding Officer, Naik Kurankar and Rifleman Suresh Kumar immediately got down from the vehicle and moved in front of it to apprehend the militant, who by then had recovered from the shock and had taken up a sitting position with an AK-47 in his hand.

Seeing the weapon in the militant's hands a metre and half away, Naik Kurankar pushed his Commanding Officer to one side, and charged at the militant in total disregard for his personal safety. He received a deadly volley of bullets from AK-47 rifle in his chest and head and dropped down seriously wounded. He later succumbed to his injuries. Naik Kurankar displayed conspicuous courage and dedication to duty in action against the militants.