{{Short description|Indian police officer (1972–2020)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2024}} {{Use Indian English|date=July 2024}} {{Infobox police officer | honorific_prefix = ASI | name = Babu Ram | honorific_suffix = AC | image = | caption = | department = Jammu and Kashmir Police | service_years = 1999–2020 | rank = 20px Assistant Sub-Inspector of Police | awards = 32px Ashoka Chakra | native_name = | native_name_lang = | birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1972|05|15}} | death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|2020|08|29|1972|05|15}} | nickname = | badge_number = | birth_place = Dharana, Poonch district, Jammu & Kashmir, India<ref name=":0" /> | death_place = Pantha Chowk, Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir | resting_place = | resting_place_coordinates = <!-- {{Coord|LAT|LON|type:landmark|display=inline,title}} --> | memorials = | spouse = | alma_mater = | other_work = | module = }} Assistant Sub-inspector '''Babu Ram''', AC<ref>{{Cite web|title=ASI gets Ashok Chakra, Altaf Bhat Kirti Chakra, Shahbaz Ahmad Shauraya Chakra - Kashmir Times|url=http://www.kashmirtimes.com/newsdet.aspx?q=112223|access-date=2021-08-21|website=www.kashmirtimes.com}} {{dead link|date=July 2024}}</ref> (1972–2020)<ref name=":0" /> was a Police Officer of the Special Operations Group (SOG) Srinagar, who was awarded the highest peace time gallantry award, the Ashok Chakra.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-08-15|title=In a first, J&K Police gets all three top peacetime gallantry awards|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/in-a-first-jk-police-gets-all-three-top-peacetime-gallantry-awards-7454192/|access-date=2021-08-16|website=The Indian Express|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Abrol|first=Vikash|title=Jammu Kashmir: इतने वीर थे शहीद ASI Babu Ram, 14 मुठभेड़ों में 28 दुर्दांत आतंकी कमांडरों को मार गिराया|url=https://www.jagran.com/jammu-and-kashmir/jammu-martyr-asi-babu-ram-played-a-key-role-in-killing-28-dreaded-terrorist-commanders-in-14-encounters-jagran-special-21929294.html|access-date=2021-08-21|website=Dainik Jagran|language=hi}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-08-14|title=Jammu and Kashmir Police personnel awarded top gallantry awards, including Ashok Chakra|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/jammu-and-kashmir-police-personnel-awarded-top-gallantry-awards-including-ashok-chakra-101628953562954.html|access-date=2021-08-21|website=Hindustan Times|language=en}}</ref>
==Early life== Ram was born on 15 May 1972, in Dharana village in the Poonch district of Jammu region's Mendhar district, had aspired to join the armed services since he was a child.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|title=J&K Cop Babu Ram Conferred With Ashok Chakra Posthumously|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/j-k-cop-babu-ram-conferred-with-ashok-chakra-posthumously-2510645|access-date=2024-07-27|website=NDTV.com|agency=Press Trust of India|date=15 August 2021}}</ref><ref name="PTI">{{cite news |title=ASI in JK Police Babu Ram gets India's highest peacetime gallantry award Ashoka Chakra |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/j-k/asi-in-jk-police-babu-ram-gets-indias-highest-peacetime-gallantry-award-ashoka-chakra-297604 |work=The Tribune |agency=Press Trust of India |date=14 August 2021 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240228194159/https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/j-k/asi-in-jk-police-babu-ram-gets-indias-highest-peacetime-gallantry-award-ashoka-chakra-297604 |archive-date=28 February 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref>
==Police career== After completing his education, he was assigned as a constable in the J&K Police in 1999. On 27 July 2002, he was assigned to the Special Operations Group (SOG) in Srinagar, where he participated in numerous anti-terror operations in which a number of hardcore terrorists were killed.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Ani|date=2021-08-15|title=Jammu and Kashmir Police to receive Ashok Chakra, Kirti Chakra, Shaurya Chakra together this year {{!}} english.lokmat.com|url=https://english.lokmat.com/national/jammu-and-kashmir-police-to-receive-ashok-chakra-kirti-chakra-shaurya-chakra-together-this-year/|access-date=2021-08-21|website=Lokmat English|language=en}}</ref> During his time in the anti-insurgency unit he took part in 14 battles in which 28 terrorists were killed.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Service|first=Tribune News|title=ASI in JK Police Babu Ram gets India's highest peacetime gallantry award Ashoka Chakra|url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/j-k/asi-in-jk-police-babu-ram-gets-indias-highest-peacetime-gallantry-award-ashoka-chakra-297604|access-date=2021-08-16|website=Tribuneindia News Service|language=en}}</ref>
Babu Ram was a frequent frontrunner in counter-terrorist operations and he also received a premature promotion for his gallantry and conscientiousness.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-08-31|title='Will join army and fight to end terror in Kashmir': 15-year-old son of ASI killed in anti-terror opps|url=https://www.deccanherald.com/national/north-and-central/will-join-army-and-fight-to-end-terror-in-kashmir-15-year-old-son-of-asi-killed-in-anti-terror-opps-880523.html|access-date=2021-08-16|website=Deccan Herald|language=en}}</ref>
== Ashok Chakra Action == J&K Police officers and security forces were checking vehicles travelling through Pantha-Chowk. Three terrorists then arrived on a moped and attacked a paramilitary force member who was standing by the highway, taking his weapon and opening fire on the police and security forces indiscriminately. After the attack, the terrorists entered Dhobhi Mohalla in Pantha-Chowk. Immediately, the area was cordoned off and search operation was launched. ASI Ram was part of the advance party who launched an assault against holed up terrorists, the terrorists then opened fire at the joint search party, triggering an encounter. The encounter ended with the elimination of three Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists, including a commander. However, Ram was killed in this exchange. <ref>{{Cite web|title=J&K cop honoured posthumously with Ashoka Chakra - India's highest peacetime gallantry award|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/j-k-cop-honoured-posthumously-ashoka-chakra-india-highest-peacetime-gallantry-award-1840915-2021-08-14|access-date=2021-08-16|website=India Today|date=14 August 2021 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-08-14|title=Babu Ram, J&K Cop Conferred with Ashok Chakra Posthumously, Was Part of 14 Encounters|url=https://www.news18.com/news/india/babu-ram-jk-cop-conferred-with-ashok-chakra-posthumously-was-part-of-14-encounters-4086830.html|access-date=2021-08-16|website=News18|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Wreath laying ceremony of ASI Babu Ram performed in Srinagar|url=https://www.zee5.com/global/news/details/wreath-laying-ceremony-of-asi-babu-ram-performed-in-srinagar/0-0-newsauto_1b7g1nldjf40|access-date=2021-08-21|website=www.zee5.com}}</ref>
== Ashok Chakra == On the occasion of India's 75th Independence Day, the late recipient was awarded the Ashok Chakra by then-President Ram Nath Kovind in recognition of his exceptional courage, dedication, and conscientiousness.<ref>{{Cite web|title=List of honours & awards approved by President Shri Ram Nath Kovind on the eve of Independence Day 2021|url=http://pib.gov.in/Pressreleaseshare.aspx?PRID=1745832|access-date=2021-08-16|website=pib.gov.in}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Excelsior|first=Daily|date=2021-08-16|title=Valour of martyr ASI Babu Ram recognized by awarding Ashoka Chakra: Family|url=https://www.dailyexcelsior.com/valour-of-martyr-asi-babu-ram-recognized-by-awarding-ashoka-chakra-family/|access-date=2021-08-21|website=Jammu Kashmir Latest News {{!}} Tourism {{!}} Breaking News J&K|language=en-US}}</ref> The award was posthumously presented to the recipient's family by the President of India on Republic Day 2022.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://twitter.com/pbns_india/status/1486203636401287173|access-date=2022-01-26|website=Twitter|language=en}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
{{Ashoka Chakra award recipients}}'''[https://hindiyojna.in/asi-babu-ram-biography-in-hindi/ ASI Babu RAM Biography in Hindi - https://hindiyojna.in/asi-babu-ram-biography-in-hindi/] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220128203738/https://hindiyojna.in/asi-babu-ram-biography-in-hindi/ |date=28 January 2022 }}{{Authority control}}'''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ram, Babu}} Category:1972 births Category:2020 deaths Category:Recipients of the Ashoka Chakra (military decoration) Category:Ashoka Chakra Category:Pahari Pothwari people Category:People from Poonch District, India