967 security personnel awarded police medals

NEW DELHI: Six Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and 9 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel killed in a helicopter crash while on a rescue mission in Uttarakhand in mid-2013, are among the 967 awardees of police medals on Republic Day this year.
Among the awardees, 25 personnel have been honoured with the President’s Police Medal for Gallantry (PPMG), 132 personnel with Police Medal for Gallantry (PMG) and 98 personnel with President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service.Besides, 712 personnel have bagged Police Medals for Meritorious Service.
Among the 25 PPMG awardees announced on Sunday, 14 are from Andhra Pradesh, 4 each from CRPF and ITBP, 2 from Chhattisgath police and one from Maharashtra police.
Of the 132 police medals for gallantry conferred on Sunday, CRPF leads with 32 awardees, followed by Maharashtra police with 19 awardees.
Those honoured with Police Medals for Gallantry included six ITBP and 9 NDRF personnel killed in a chopper crash during flood rescue and relief in Uttarakhamd in 2013. Their absence from the awards list last year had invited much criticism, especially since the Indian Air Force personnel who died in the same crash were awarded gallantry medals that included a Kirti Chakra for the pliot, Shaurya Chakra for the co-pilot and Vayu Sena medal for three others.
Those awarded the PPMG this year include CRPF ASI Avadh Bihari Singh (posthumous) who eliminated two heavily armed militants when the Police Public School in Bemina, Srinagar came under a fidayeen attack in March 2013, before attaining martyrdom. Deputy commandant Arvind Singh Bisht and Sub Inspector Biresh Chauhan were awarded PPMG for their valour in fighting Naxalites in separate incidents.
Among the PMG awardees in the BSF are four personnel who laid down their lives while fighting Maoists after their Bolero vehicle was blown up in an IED blast at Balimela in Odisha’s Malkangiri district, followed by an ambush. They will be honoured posthumously.