In all, 1057 personnel of Police, Fire, Home Guard & Civil Defence (HG&CD) and Correctional Services have been felicitated with Gallantry and Service Medals this Independence Day
NEW DELHI: The Centre on Friday announced 301 medals for gallantry for police and fire service personnel on the occasion of Independence Day. Of these, 197 were awarded to personnel who served in Left Wing Extremism-affected areas, the Union home ministry said in a statement.
In all, 1,057 personnel from the police, fire, home guard and civil defence, and correctional services were awarded gallantry and service medals this Independence Day. Among the gallantry medal recipients, 272 are police personnel and 29 are from the fire services.
Of the 301 gallantry awards, 197 went to personnel from LWE-affected areas, 51 to those serving in Jammu and Kashmir, 12 to personnel from the Northeast and 41 to those from other regions for acts of gallantry, the ministry said.
The Centre also announced the President’s Medal for Distinguished Service (PSM) for 92 personnel. Of these, 83 are from the police, four from the fire services, three from civil defence and home guards, and two from correctional services. The PSM is awarded for a distinguished record of service.
The government also awarded 664 medals for Meritorious Service (MSM), including 606 to police personnel, 28 to fire service personnel, 18 to civil defence and home guard personnel, and 12 to correctional service personnel. The MSM is awarded for valuable service marked by resourcefulness and devotion to duty.
The gallantry medal is awarded for conspicuous acts of bravery in saving life and property, preventing crime or arresting criminals, taking into account the risks involved and the duties of the officer concerned, the statement said.
As many as 21 CBI personnel were awarded the President’s Medal for Distinguished Service and the Medal for Meritorious Service.
The CRPF bagged the highest number of gallantry and service medals, with 86 awards on the occasion of the 80th Independence Day. The force received 24 gallantry medals, five President’s Medals for Distinguished Service and 57 Medals for Meritorious Service.
Officials said the gallantry medals were awarded for two counter-terrorism operations in Jammu and Kashmir and one operation against insurgents in Manipur, all carried out in 2024.
The force is also expected to receive a few gallantry medals announced by the ministry of defence, officials said.
CRPF DIG M. Dhinakaran is among the PSM awardees. He served in the Special Protection Group and currently heads the CRPF Recruit Training Centre at Avadi in Chennai.
Dhinakaran has served in the paramilitary force for more than three decades, commanding units in anti-Naxal operations and holding leadership positions in the CRPF’s intelligence and VIP security wings.
An official statement said the PSM was awarded to him in recognition of his long and distinguished service, integrity, dedication and exemplary professional performance.
Twenty Border Security Force personnel who took part in a major anti-Naxal operation in Chhattisgarh in 2024, in which 29 Maoists were killed, were also awarded the Medal for Gallantry.
The personnel, from the BSF’s 94th Battalion, were honoured for conspicuous bravery during the meticulously planned anti-Naxal operation, the force said.
