CRPF personnel awarded Prez’s Police Medal

■ 942 security personnel honoured ahead of Independence Day ◗ A total of 942 police personnel have been decorated with meritorious, gallantry and distinguished service medals

Two CRPF personnel from Kashmir, constable Sharief- ud- din Ganaie and head constable Mohd Tafail, have been awarded the President’s Police Medal for Gallantry ( PPMG) posthumously for their involvement in counter terror operations in Jammu and Kashmir.

A total of 942 police personnel from various states and paramilitary police force have been decorated with meritorious, gallantry and distinguished service medals on the eve of 72nd Independence Day.

As many as 89 CRPF personnel from have been awarded the gallantry medals which is the highest ever for the para- military force. This is largely on account of CRPF’s involvement in counterterror operations in the Kashmir Valley and action against Naxal outfits in different States.

After CRPF the highest number of medals have been awarded to the Jammu and Police with 37 Odisha Police 11, Security

Force 10, Maharashtra Police 8, Chhattisgarh Police 6 apart from other.

While 177 security personnel have been decorated Kashmir medals, Border for gallantry medal, 675 have been given the meritorious service medals and 88 distinguished service medals.

Officials said in view of the increased anti- militancy operations in the Kashmir Valley majority of the gallantry medals have been given to security personnel operating in this region. Most of the counter- terror operations in the Valley are conducted by the CRPF along with JK Police and its special operations group ( SOG) along with the Army.