Photo Courtesy: nenow
Imphal: Lieutenant Colonel Maneo Francis PF of 21 Para Special Forces earned the Kirti Chakra this Independence Day. The award recognizes his grit during a seven-day counter-insurgency operation in Manipur. The Tadubi native led his team through high-risk conditions. He spent months building an intelligence network to map local militants after a string of violent incidents. The officer also drilled his men with mission-specific training before the raid.
The unit tracked the insurgents to a hideout and demanded they surrender. The militants fired back with automatic weapons. Francis acted fast. He moved his team to the northern flank and killed a sentry. Then, trouble flared. A hidden gunman pinned the entire assault squad down with constant fire. The officer did not hesitate. He crawled across open ground under heavy heat to take the shooter out in close-quarters combat.
The official citation praised his performance: "His actions demonstrated resolute leadership, superior tactical acumen, raw courage under fire and meticulous planning." The mission ended with two heavily armed insurgents dead. Francis is one of three Parachute Regiment Special Forces members to receive the Kirti Chakra in 2026. This medal stands as one of the country's top peacetime honors for gallantry.
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