Second in Command V. T. Mathew, 140 BN CRPF
On 28 October 2003, troops of the 140th Battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force were returning to their detachment headquarters at Antagarh when they came under a major ambush near Baronda village in Narayanpur district, Chhattisgarh. The attackers, reported to number around 150 Maoists, unleashed heavy gunfire and detonated improvised explosive devices against the convoy.
The troops were caught by surprise and faced a numerically superior force. In the midst of the attack, Second in Command V. T. Mathew took charge and led his men in a determined counterattack. The CRPF personnel retaliated fiercely, breaking through the ambush line despite the intensity of the assault.
During the ensuing battle, Shri V. T. Mathew and three other personnel sustained critical injuries. Mathew was evacuated for treatment but succumbed to his injuries on 31 October 2003. His leadership during the ambush and his role in rallying the troops against the attackers became central to the account of the encounter.
In recognition of his courage and gallant service, Shri V. T. Mathew was posthumously awarded the President’s Police Medal for Gallantry. The Honour Post pays tribute to the Second in Command of 140 BN CRPF, whose supreme sacrifice is remembered with honour.
