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38 years on, SC orders ₹5 lakh bravery award for ex-cop who fought dacoits in 1986
The top court said the state ought to have been more magnanimous instead of attempting to absolve themselves by proposing a meagre reward of ₹1 lakh.
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has directed the Uttar Pradesh government to award ₹5 lakh, a commendation letter and a citation to an 84-year-old retired sub-inspector for his exemplary bravery in confronting a notorious dacoit 38 years ago.
A bench comprising justices Surya Kant, Dipankar Datta and Ujjal Bhuyan condemned the state government’s “meagre” offer of ₹1 lakh as a reward for Ram Autar Singh Yadav’s heroic action, saying the authorities ought to have been “more magnanimous.”
The bench also expressed regret that Yadav’s case for a national police medal wasn’t pursued, which it said could have inspired the entire police force of Uttar Pradesh.
“Had such medal been awarded, apart from the benefits and privileges that go along with such award, it would have been a huge boost for the entire police force of Uttar Pradesh in general and the appellant in particular… The State authorities, in such circumstances, ought to have been more magnanimous instead of attempting to absolve themselves by proposing a meagre reward of ₹1 lakh,” stated the judgment.
Yadav, then posted as station house officer at Bisanda police station in Banda district, was returning to the station by bus on March 13, 1986, when armed dacoits ambushed the vehicle. Using his service revolver, Yadav courageously fired back, killing Chhidawa, a notorious criminal involved in multiple cases of robbery and dacoity. His actions saved the lives of passengers and thwarted the robbery attempt.
The local superintendent of police (SP) recommended Yadav for a President’s Gallantry Police Medal in 1989 but the proposal was shelved, and no action was taken. Despite repeated follow-ups after his retirement, Yadav’s efforts to gain recognition for his bravery met with bureaucratic delays and legal hurdles.
Senior advocate Rana Mukherjee appeared in the matter as amicus curiae to assist the bench while Singh appeared in person to argue for himself.
The apex court lamented the long delay in acknowledging Yadav’s act of bravery and criticised the state government’s failure to honour the SP’s recommendation. “Had such a medal been awarded, it would have been a huge morale booster for the police force,” the bench remarked.
The court also took issue with the dismissal of Yadav’s plea by the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Tribunal on jurisdictional grounds and the high court’s “hyper-technical” refusal to hear his case due to delay.
“The writ petition of the appellant provided an opportunity to the high court to right the wrong which, unfortunately, it failed to seize. It is with a deep sense of regret that we end the discussion here expressing hope that as the sentinel on the qui vive, the high courts in the country would do well not to mechanically dismiss writ petitions on the ground of delay and laches without considering all the relevant factors,” the court observed in its December 4 verdict.
Setting aside the high court’s order, the Supreme Court awarded Yadav ₹5 lakh -- ₹1 lakh already proposed by the state and an additional ₹4 lakh. The court directed the Uttar Pradesh government to hand over the reward “with due dignity and honour” by January 26, 2025.
While acknowledging that no monetary reward could fully measure Yadav’s exemplary courage, the court emphasised the symbolic importance of the recognition.
“Certainly, the amount of ₹5 lakh cannot be a full measure of the exemplary courage and valiance shown by the appellant in facing a notorious dacoit, duly armed, but is intended to be a token of appreciation for the appellant in the winter years of his life for rising to the occasion when it mattered most,” said the court.
