E-Paper
12 UP cops selected for gallantry medals, 7 for STF encounters
The official STF document specifically lists seven personnel for gallantry recognition in connection with three encounters, including the two operations highlighted in the award list. It states that the personnel were honoured for displaying “indomitable courage” in the discharge of their duties.
Twelve Uttar Pradesh Police personnel, including an IPS officer, two additional superintendents of police, two inspectors, a sub-inspector and six head constables, have been selected for the Medal for Gallantry (GM) this Independence Day, with two high-risk Special Task Force (STF) operations in Meerut and Moradabad forming the basis for several of the awards.
The official STF document specifically lists seven personnel for gallantry recognition in connection with three encounters, including the two operations highlighted in the award list. It states that the personnel were honoured for displaying “indomitable courage” in the discharge of their duties.
One of the key operations took place on May 4, 2023, in the Jani police station area of Meerut, where an STF field unit team engaged gangster Anil Nagar alias Anil Dujana in an encounter.
Dujana, a resident of Dujana village under Badalpur police station in Gautam Buddh Nagar commissionerate, was killed in the gunfight. The award record states that he was involved in 66 criminal cases.
Inspector Sunil Kumar of the STF Meerut field unit has been awarded the GM posthumously for the operation. Head constable Deepak Kumar has also received the GM for his role in the encounter. The official award document records the operation and Sunil Kumar’s posthumous honour.
The second major operation was conducted on November 10, 2025, in the Bhojpur police station area of Moradabad district. An STF Meerut field unit team engaged two wanted criminals after they allegedly demanded ₹1 crore in extortion and threatened to open fire at a house if the money was not paid. The two suspects — Arif alias Tinda, carrying a reward of ₹1 lakh, and Deenu, carrying a reward of ₹50,000 — were killed in the exchange of fire. They were allegedly involved in 66 and 23 criminal cases, respectively, including serious offences such as murder, extortion and robbery.
The STF award record describes the Moradabad operation as a successful action that resulted in the killing of a dreaded wanted criminal. ASP Brijesh Kumar Singh of the STF Meerut field unit has received the GM for the operation. Head constables Deepak Kumar and Sanjay Singh, both from the same STF unit, have also been awarded the GM.
The 2026 honours also recognise gallantry in an earlier operation in Gautam Buddh Nagar. Sub-inspector Akshaya Parveer Kumar Tyagi, posted with the STF field unit in Noida, has been awarded the first bar to the GM for an encounter on January 1, 2023, in the Bisrakh police station area. The award record states that the operation resulted in the killing of a criminal involved in 34 cases, who was a resident of Basi village under Khekra police station in Baghpat district.
Head constable Sunil Kumar of the STF field unit, Noida, has also received the first bar to the GM.
Among the senior officers figuring in the broader 2026 gallantry list is Muniraj G, a 2009-batch regular-recruit IPS officer presently posted as deputy inspector general of Moradabad range. He has been awarded the GM. Satyajeet Gupta, then additional SP and presently posted as SP in Kanpur Nagar, has also been selected for the medal. Inspector Narendra Kumar is another awardee.
The remaining head constables named in the consolidated list include Deepak Kumar, Adesh Tripathi and Prashant Kumar, taking the number of head constables in the UP Police list to six.
The STF award document states that the gallantry honours were granted in recognition of exceptional courage displayed while performing police duties.
Director general of police Rajeev Krishna and additional director general (law and order/STF) Amitabh Yash congratulated the decorated personnel for their courage and distinguished service.
