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Union home minister’s special operation medals announced, ITBP bags most with 260 awardees
The medal is conferred to security forces for special operations in areas such as terrorism, border action, arms control, prevention of narcotics smuggling and rescue operations.
The Union ministry of home affairs (MHA) on Sunday announced the winners of the “Union Home Minister’s Special Operation Medal” for the current year. More than 390 personnel belonging to the police force in Delhi, Maharashtra, Punjab, Kerala and Karnataka along with those from the NIA, the CISF, the NDRF and the ITBP have been chosen for the medal.
The medal is conferred to security forces for special operations in areas such as terrorism, border action, arms control, prevention of narcotics smuggling and rescue operations. It was notified by the MHA in 2018 to be conferred on state and Union territory police forces, Central Police Organisations (CPOs), Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFS) and other security organisations throughout the country.
As many as 16 personnel of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) have been awarded the medal this year, according to the home ministry. And among them was senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Sonia Narang.
“Senior IPS officer Sonia Narang who took concerted action against Islamic State of Khorasan Province’s (ISKP) pan-India network during her tenure in the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has also received HM’s special operation medal,” said an official about Narang’s work against the ISKP network.
“A 2002 batch IPS officer, Narang had also been awarded president’s police medal for meritorious services during this year’s Republic Day for successfully solving the 2019 Pulwama attack. She is currently posted as additional director in the Enforcement Directorate (ED),” the official added.
Meanwhile, 260 personnel from the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) have also been conferred with the medal this year. “In recognition of their indomitable courage and devotion to duty, 260 personnel of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) have been awarded with the Union Home Minister’s Special Operation Medal on National Unity Day, 2021 for various special operations carried out by the Force in Eastern Ladakh,” ITBP spokesperson Vivek Pandey said.
“This is the highest number of Union Home Minister’s Special Operation Medals to ITBP or any other organisation on one occasion,” he added. “The awardees include the name of Deepam Seth, then IG, North West Frontier ITBP who was a member of the Indian delegation for the 10 rounds of Senior Highest Military Commander (SHMC) level talks,” the ITBP further said.
