Archive · 14 Aug 2026
Twenty BSF Personnel Get Gallantry Medals for 2024 Chhattisgarh Operation
Some soldiers in India keep the country's borders safe.
They are called the Border Security Force, or BSF.
In April 2024, some of these soldiers and police went to a forest in a state called Chhattisgarh.
They were looking for a group of people called Naxals, who were causing trouble.
The soldiers and police stopped 29 of those people in one mission.
They also found a lot of guns and bullets.
This was one of the biggest successful missions ever against the Naxals in that state.
Because the soldiers were so brave, 20 of them were given special medals called Gallantry Medals.
The medals were given around Independence Day, when India celebrates being a free country.
In March 2026, India announced that there was no more Naxal violence, which makes these medals even more special.
Twenty BSF personnel from the 94th battalion have been awarded the Medal for Gallantry for their role in a major anti-Naxal operation in Chhattisgarh.
The operation, carried out on April 15-16, 2024, in Kanker district, killed 29 Maoists and was described as the 'biggest-ever' anti-Left Wing Extremist operation in the state.
The joint operation with the District Reserve Guard (DRG) of Chhattisgarh Police, near Binagunda and Kalpar villages, also recovered a huge cache of arms and ammunition.
Five other officers, including retired Inspectors General M L Garg and C D Aggarwal, were named for the President's Medal for Distinguished Service, and 42 others for the Medal for Meritorious Service.
The honours were announced on the occasion of the 80th Independence Day, following India's declaration in March 2026 that it was free of Naxal violence.
- Who
- Twenty Border Security Force (BSF) personnel from the 94th battalion, along with five officers named for the President's Medal for Distinguished Service and 42 for the Medal for Meritorious Service.
- What
- The 20 BSF personnel were awarded the Medal for Gallantry for their bravery during a 2024 anti-Naxal operation that killed 29 Maoists in Chhattisgarh.
- When
- The medals were announced on the occasion of the 80th Independence Day (August 2026); the operation took place on April 15-16, 2024.
- Where
- Kanker district, Chhattisgarh, India, near the Binagunda and Kalpar villages.
- Why
- For conspicuous bravery during the meticulously planned joint operation against Left Wing Extremists, which eliminated 29 Naxal cadres and recovered a large cache of arms and ammunition.
- Gallantry Medals Awarded
- 20 (all from 94th BSF Battalion)
- Other Honours
- 5 President's Medal for Distinguished Service; 42 Medal for Meritorious Service (67 total personnel honoured)
- Operation Date
- April 15-16, 2024
- Operation Location
- Kanker district, Chhattisgarh, near Binagunda and Kalpar villages
- Maoists Eliminated
- 29
- Joint Forces
- BSF and District Reserve Guard (DRG) of Chhattisgarh Police
- BSF Strength
- About 2.70 lakh personnel
- Context
- India declared itself free of Naxal violence in March 2026
