Cheetah roars again: CRPF commander Chetan who was shot 9 times, re-joins duty

CRPF commander who miraculously survived despite receiving 9 gun-shots in line of duty has joined work. He is currently posted in CRPF's directorate at CGO complex, reports The Times of India. As of now, he will be doing office-related work as Chetan is yet to regain full fitness. 

Cheetah survived nine bullets during a gun battle with terrorists in Kashmir' Bandipora on February 14 last year. He was  awarded the Kirti Award, India's second highest peacetime award for showing rare courage and valour in service. 

The 45-year-old had suffered bilateral upper limbs fractures, bullet injuries in his head and lost his right eye during the bloody encounter that claimed lives of three Indian soldiers in Kashmir' Bandipora. Cheeta, a Commanding Officer of the 45th battalion was admitted In Delhi's AIIMS Hospital for almost two months and was discharged on April 5 last year. Right after his recovery, Cheetah expressed desire of going back to combat role as soon as he can. 

Recalling the incident of February 14, Cheetah said that nobody can ever predict where the operation goes adding that the situation that day was a very different from the usual operation that they had carried out earlier. "Before that day we along with the Jammu and Kashmir Police and the Indian Army conducted many successful operation altogether. But situation that day was a little different. The Army sent their party before time and I suppose the terrorist came to know about this," he said.

TOI quoted Chetan Cheetah's wife as saying, "There are small issues (related to his health) which will take some time. But he is very happy to join back and is even eager to go back to combat duties”. 

With ANI inputs