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Gazette Notification: 55 Pres/91, 26-1-91
Operation: 1971 Cactus Lily
Date of Award: 26 Jan 1991

Citation:

On 3 May 1987, “A” Assault Team 10 Para Commando was tasked to clear the enemy stronghold at Mulai in Jaffna Peninsula. While advancing, the team came under heavy effective fire from the militants. Captain (then second lieutenant) Ashish Sonal along with two squads was asked to clear few houses. While doing so they noticed an LMG detachment of the militants. Captain Sonal, with complete disregard for his personal safety along with one OR moved close to the enemy detachment, shot the militant dead and recovered the LMG.

On 1 May 1989, Captain Ashish Sonal was tasked to carry out patrolling and ambushes in the area of Puloli West with an aim to destroy militants. Captain Sonal moved his troop into multiple patrols to cover a larger area and streets. The area of Puloli is thickly populated with narrow streets. Hence he decided to lay ambushes in this area. At 0725 hours on 1 May 1989, the look out man informed Captain Sonal of three militants approaching. Captain Sonal, along with Lance Naik Bhoop Singh Yadav immediately moved to a position of advantage and engaged the militants. 

His swiftness to act resulted in killing of one of the militants and the recovery of one AK-47 rifle with four magazines and documents of intelligence value. The other two militants ran away. Captain Ashish Sonal, along with Lance Naik Bhoop Singh Yadav, chased the fleeing militants, who were subsequently in an ambush. 

On 5 June, at 0800 hours on information about militants hiding in a house in North Varani, Captain Sonal moved his troop stealthily and approached up to 50 metres of hideout without being detected. The militants, surprised, chose to flee the scene, but Captain Sonal directed accurate fire on them. Four militants were killed.

On 9 June 1989, while returning to base after completion of yet another successful mission in Chavakachari North, the officer patrol had a chance encounter with the militants. In the fighting which ensued Captain Sonal exposed himself a little too long and was hit in the head by militant's bullet.

Captain Ashish Sonal displayed leadership and courage of a very high order with total disregard to his safety on a number of occasions. 

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