As many as 795 police personnel will receive President’s Police Medal for meritorious services on Republic Day. Jammu & Kashmir police personnel as well as CRPF personnel who were part of successful counter-terror operations in the Valley have bagged more than half of the total 107 Police Medals for Gallantry announced on Republic Day eve this year.
As many as 66 police officers were awarded for gallantry in J&K operations, including 38 from J&K police and 28 from CRPF. Apart from this, 35 personnel got gallantry medals for counter-Left-wing extremism-hit operations, while 3 police personnel were honoured for brave acts in the northeastern States. "Conspicuous acts of bravery and dedication to national integrity by police personnel on the frontline in J&K have been recognised," adviser to the Home Ministry and former DGP of J&K police Ashok Prasad told media soon after the police medals were announced.
Many personnel from lower ranks were awarded much this time. Police Medals for Gallantry (PMG) will be given to 107 personnel, President's Police Medals for Distinguished Service to 75 personnel and Police Medal for Meritorious Service to 613 personnel, the Home Ministry said in a statement. Seven Gallantry medals were awarded posthumously. Of these six went to personnel from Chhattisgarh police who had bravely fought Left-wing extremists during a Maoist attack at Pidmel, Chintagufa in Chhattisgarh in April 2015. 35 Maoists were reportedly killed and 15 injured in the counter-attack. A gallantry medal was awarded posthumously in J&K as well.
Among the 107 Gallantry Awards, Jammu and Kashmir leads the list with 66 awards, 35 from the areas affected by Left Wing Extremism and three from the North-East Region. This year five Officers from the Indian Police Service will receive the Police Medal for Gallantry.
Chhattisgarh police personnel got 10 gallantry medals and those from Maharashtra police bagged 7. Six medals went to police personnel in Telangana, 3 each in Delhi, Meghalaya and Odisha and 1 each to BSF and Jharkhand police.