The CRPF, the country’s largest paramilitary forces engaged in counter-insurgency and anti-Naxal operations, has bagged the maximum number of gallantry medals on the eve of Independence Day.
The CRPF has topped the gallantry medals chart with 34 medals to its men, majority of which are for anti-Naxal operations. The CRPF’s deputy commandant Prakash Ranjan Mishra, who suffered bullet injuries four times in anti-Naxal operations, has won the gallantry medal for the fifth time — the maximum for a paramilitary personnel.
A total of 864 police and paramilitary personnel have been awarded with service medals on the eve of the 67th Independence day on Wednesday. While the President’s Police Medals for gallantry have been awarded to six personnel, Police Medals for gallantry have been awarded to 132 personnel.
In other categories, the President’s Police Medals for distinguished service has been awarded to 87 personnel while Police Medals for meritorious service has been given to 639 personnel.
In the CRPF, four personnel of Jammu and Kashmir police, including two posthumously, have been awarded the PPMG, including top Maharashtra police cop and DCP Vishwas Nangre Patil who was amongst the first to enter Taj Mahal hotel to combat the terrorists during the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.
Meanwhile, four officials of the elite “black cats” of the NSG, the country’s premier counter-terrorist and counter-hijack force, have been decorated with the President’s Police medal for distinguished and meritorious service. NSG team commander A.J. Nair is among the four officers who have been awarded the top service medals. Nair has served in Nagaland, Manipur, Assam, Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir and had been decorated earlier with other service commendations.
The other awardees of the meritorious service medal of the commandos’ force include R.S. Siwach, Mahender Singh, P. Kamal Kennan and S.K. Tiwari.