On 16 October 1996, Constable Ishwar S. Nagpure of the 2nd Battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force was performing his duties in Jammu and Kashmir, where the battalion had been deployed in the Awantipora area of Pulwama district for anti-terrorist operations. His unit's responsibilities included road-opening and patrolling duties, which were essential for securing movement and maintaining a presence in an area affected by terrorist violence.
On that day, a section of C Company of the 2nd Battalion was assigned road-opening and patrolling duties at Natipura Chowk in Srinagar. After completing their assignment, the personnel began returning to their camp. Constable Nagpure was part of this section as it made its way back. As the group reached the road, his colleagues crossed to the other side, but Nagpure remained behind and had not yet crossed when the situation suddenly changed.
The electricity supply in the area was cut off, plunging the surroundings into darkness. A vehicle came close to Constable Nagpure, and an assailant inside or associated with it fired at him from point-blank range from behind using a silenced revolver. The attack was sudden, leaving the members of his party with little opportunity to react before the assailant opened fire. The attackers then fled the scene, taking advantage of the darkness and the surrounding crowd before the CRPF personnel could respond.
Constable Nagpure sustained grave injuries in the attack. Despite the efforts and presence of his fellow personnel, the severity of his wounds proved fatal, and he subsequently made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty. His martyrdom on 16 October 1996 marked the loss of a CRPF constable who was carrying out an operational assignment far from home, serving in a region where security personnel faced the constant threat of sudden attacks.
Born on 2 May 1970, Ishwar S. Nagpure hailed from Hingna in Nagpur district, Maharashtra. He served with the 2nd Battalion CRPF during a period of sustained counter-terrorist operations in Jammu and Kashmir. His story is a reminder that danger can emerge even during the return from a routine assignment, and that the responsibility of safeguarding others often places personnel in situations where a moment's violence can have irreversible consequences. Constable Ishwar S. Nagpure's sacrifice remains part of the CRPF's record of service and remembrance.
