#GoodNews: Year After Being Shot 9 Times, CRPF’s ‘Cheetah’ is Back

Cheetah, from the 45th CRPF battalion, was shot nine times during a militant operation in Kashmir.

Chetan Kumar Cheetah, after his recovery(foreground), and during his recovery at New Delhi’s AIIMS(background)

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

Over a year after he survived near-fatal injuries from a gun battle with militants in north Kashmir, CRPF Commandant Chetan Kumar ‘Cheetah’ has resumed active duty with the security force.

Cheetah has rejoined the CRPF directorate at the CGO Complex in New Delhi and is awaiting posting, The Times of India reported.

Cheetah was shot nine times during an operation against militants in the Hajin area of Kashmir Valley on 14 February 2017, during his tenure as commanding officer of the 45th CRPF battalion.

Cheetah was comatose for nearly a month-and-a-half, after being shot in both the arms, his left hand, his right eye, his brain, and abdomen, according to TOI.

Speaking to India Today in an interview, Cheetah said:

I want the youth to give their 100 percent to the country. That’s what I did. I could have escaped my duty, but instead, I faced the bullets.

Speaking to TOI, his wife Uma Singh said that though Cheetah continued to suffer from minor health issues, he would soon be joining the combat force.

Meanwhile, officials from the CRPF told TOI that the officer would require at least another year or two to completely recover and return to the combat force, and would be handling office-related work till his recovery was complete.

Cheetah was awarded the Kirti Chakra, the second highest peacetime gallantry award, for his service to the country.

Many users took to Twitter to congratulate the commandant on his return to the force.

After bearing the brunt of militants’ attack, Cheetah was initially taken to the base hospital in Srinagar where he was operated upon and given primary treatment, after which he was flown to the AIIMS Trauma Centre in New Delhi.

He woke up from his coma in April 2017, nearly a month-and-a-half after the attack.

(With inputs from The Times of India and India Today)