Major Aditya Kumar, against whom the Jammu and Kashmir Police had registered a case in connection with an operation in January this year, is among the 131 gallantry awardees of the armed and paramilitary forces whose names were announced by the government on the Independence Day eve.

Major Aditya has been awarded the Shaurya Chakra — the third highest peacetime gallantry award. The honour comes for a separate operation that he undertook in Budgam in November 2017.

The Army had defended the January operation, in connection with which Major Aditya was booked, saying an Army convoy was attacked by a group of 100-200 stone-pelters, three of whom were killed in retaliatory fire. Later, a petition was filed by the father of Major Aditya in the Supreme Court, urging that the name of his son be removed from the FIR.

Among the awardees is Rifleman Aurangzeb. He was part of the operation to kill Hizbul Mujahideen “commander” Sameer Tiger in April. He was later abducted by militants from Pulwama and killed. He has also been awarded the Shaurya Chakra for an operation in November 2017 at Algar village in south Kashmir.

For the same operation, Sepoy Vrahma Pal Singh has been awarded the Kirti Chakra — the second highest peacetime gallantry award.

All six women officers who circumnavigated the earth in a sailing boat have been given the Nao Sena Medals (Gallantry). Pilot Capt P Rajkumar is the lone Shaurya Chakra awardee from the Navy. The CRPF has been awarded five Shaurya Chakras for operations in Kashmir.