990 get Police Medals, Chhattisgarh's STF commander posthumous gallantry awardee

A total of 990 personnel have been awarded Police Medals on the 71st Independence Day, with Chhattisgarh's elite Special Task Force Platoon Commander Shankar Rao posthumously named for the President's Police Medal for Gallantry.

Rao, called 'Fighter Rao' by his colleagues, showed exemplary courage during a Maoist ambush in Sukma district on April 11, 2015, in which his six other colleagues were also killed and 10 injured.

Of the 990 personnel, 190 get the Police Medal for Gallantry, 93 will receive President's Police Medal for Distinguished Service, and 706 the Police Medal for Meritorious Service.

President Ram Nath Kovind has approved the conferment of correctional service medals on 20 prison personnel -- including one President's Correctional Service Medal for Distinguished Service and 19 Correctional Service Medal for Meritorious Service.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) received 28 medals -- including six President's Police Medals for Distinguished Service and 22 Police Medals for Meritorious Service.

CBI's Superintendent of Police Nand Kumar Nair was among six officials who received President's Police Medal for Distinguished Service.

The Central Reserve Police Force was awarded 121 medals -- 53 Police Medals for Gallantry, six President's Police Medals for Distinguished Service, and 62 Police Medals for Meritorious Service.

The force bagged the highest number of medals among the paramilitary forces.

The Border Security Force received 67 awards, including 14 Police Medals for Gallantry, six President's Police Medals for Distinguished Services, and 47 Police Medals for Meritorious Service.

The Central Industrial Security Force was conferred 25 awards, including two President's Police Medals for Distinguished Service, 23 Police Medals for Meritorious Service.

The Indo-Tibetan Border Police was conferred 16 medals, the Sashastra Seema Bal 14, the Special Protection Group five and the National Security Guard four.

The Home Ministry (Intelligence Bureau) was conferred 32 medals, including eight President's Police Medals for Distinguished Service and 24 Police Medals for Meritorious Service.

The National Disaster Response Force bagged six medals, National Investigation Agency two and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy three. The Narcotics Control Bureau, National Human Rights Commission, North Eastern Police Academy and Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas received one award each.

The Ministry of Railways (Railway Protection Force) was conferred 16 police medals while the Ministry of Civil Aviation got two.

Among police in various states and Union Territories, Uttar Pradesh bagged the highest 81 police medals, followed by Andhra Pradesh (67), Maharashtra (56) and Jammu and Kashmir (44).

Of the 27 Delhi Police officers conferred the Police Medals, one received Police Medal for Gallantry, two President's Police Medals for Distinguished Service and 24 Police Medals for Meritorious Service.

--IANS

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