Two CRPF constables were decorated with Kirti Chakra (posthumously), and an assistant commandant awarded the Shurya Chakra for operations in Jammu and Kashmir, as 885 police personnel from across the country were honoured by the government for their distinguished services on the eve of Republic Day.
Kirti Chakra, the second highest peacetime gallantry medal of the country, was conferred on constables Pradeep Kumar Panda and Rajendra Kumar Nain, while assistant commandant Zile Singh was awarded Shaurya Chakra for thwarting a militant attack on CRPF camp at Awantipora, in Kashmir’s Pulwama district, in December 2017.
Three CRPF constables — Mohammad Yaseen, Borase Dinesh Dipak and Jaswant Singh – were decorated with the President’s Police Medal for Gallantry (PPMG) posthumously for sacrificing lives while performing duty, and Police Medals for Gallantry (PMG) have been given to 146 personnel, including CRPF assistant commandant Praveen Shanker, who was conferred the award for being part of the operation at Uri in September 2017 where four LeT militants were killed.
From the BSF, constable Mohamad Ramzan Parray (posthumously) and constables Tapas Paul and Sudhir Hembrom were decorated with gallantry medals for their role in counter-terror operations in J&K.
ITBP officer, assistant commandant Anurag Kumar Singh, who was part of a security forces team that killed LeT commander Abu Dujana in J&K in 2017, was also among those bestowed with gallantry award. President’s Police Medals for Distinguished Service were awarded to 74 personnel and Police Medal for Meritorious Service to 632 personnel.
Among 146 personnel receiving Police Medals for Gallantry, 41 are from CRPF, 26 from Odisha Police, 25 belong to Jammu and Kashmir Police, 14 are from Chhattisgarh Police, 13 from Meghalaya Police, 10 are with Uttar Pradesh Police, eight in Border Security Force, four from Delhi Police, three from Jharkhand Police and one each belong to Assam Rifles and ITBP.
