Independence Day 2020: Govt announces Police Medals, J&K tops gallantry list

The majority of gallantry medals going to the J&K Police and the CRPF is because of the counter-insurgency operations, MHA officials said.

Updated on: Aug 14, 2020, 13:22:28 IST

Hindustan Times, New Delhi | By HT News Desk

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Jammu and Kashmir Police has topped the list of Police Medals for Gallantry (PMG) with total 81 medals, followed by 51 medals that have gone to the CRPF this Independence Day.

Jammu and Kashmir: Army soldier patrols near Line of Control (LOC) at Poonch. (ANI)

Ahead of the Independence Day on Saturday, the Ministry of Home Affairs on Friday announced the list of gallantry medal awardees to police personnel across the country. The awards include Police Medals for Gallantry (PMG), President’s Police Medal (PPM) and Police Medal (PM) for meritorious services.

Inspector Mohan Chand Sharma of Delhi Police Special Cell, who died in Batla House encounter in 2008, has been awarded gallantry medal posthumously. Sharma has received 6th bar to Police Medal for Gallantry.

Also read: I-Day 2020 - Defence ministry’s special arrangements at Red Fort

Three IPS officers from Jammu and Kashmir Police - including Sandeep (SSP Anantnag), Gurinderpal Singh (SP Kulgam) and Atul Kumar Goel (DIG South Kashmir) - have been awarded the PMG. Two more J&K Police IPS officers, DIG Vidhi Kumar Birdi (currently on deputation in the NIA) and Tejinder Singh (SSP), have received 1st and 2nd bar to PMG respectively.

DIG Atul Kumar Goel was the one to catch Jammu and Kashmir DSP Davinder Singh at a check post while he was ferrying two Hizb-ul-Mujahideen terrorists in a vehicle on the Srinagar-Jammu Highway in January this year.

The number of bars to PMG define the number of gallantry medals an officer has been awarded. Mohan Chand Sharma has got 6th bar for PMG, which means it’s his 7th gallantry medal.

Officials at the Ministry of Home Affairs, familiar with the medals’ selection process, said the majority of gallantry medals going to the J&K Police and the CRPF is because of the counter-insurgency operations.

As many as 80 officers from across the country have been awarded the President’s Police Medal (PPM) for distinguished services while 631 officers have received the Police Medal (PM) for meritorious services.

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