The Police Gallantry Medals has been awarded to 6 officers and employees of the region by the President of India on the occasion of Amrit Mahotsav of Independence.

This medal is awarded for the high degree of valor and indomitable courage displayed in the elimination of 3 hardcore Naxalites active in the region.

The honored officers include Superintendent of Police Mandla Yashpal Singh, Additional Superintendent of Police (Anti-Naxal Operation) Balaghat Aditya Mishra, Inspector Salim Khan, Inspector Anshuman Singh, Inspector Sushil Patel, and HCM Atul Shukla.

This medal was awarded to Aditya Mishra and Salim Khan who risked their lives during an encounter in the forest of Malkhedi near Kanha National Park in Balaghat District on the night of November 6, 2020 when they killed Sharda alias Pujje, a female Naxalite member of the Khatia-Mocha Area Committee.

Yashpal Singh, Anshuman Singh, Sushil Patel and Atul Shukla were awarded for displaying courage risking their lives at Bodla Area Committee (Bodla Area Committee) in Dalkar for encountering a Maoists in the forest of Lalpur of Mandla District on the midnight of  February 12, 2021.

The four shot down Naxalite member Dulla alias Mainu and female Naxalite member Geeta alias Sukki Markam of Platoon-3) in the encounter. A reward of 14 lakhs each was announced jointly by Madhya Pradesh-Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra states on these naxalites.

Director General of Police Sudhir Saxena, Additional Director General of Police Intelligence Adarsh Katiyar and Inspector General of Police Anti-Naxal Mission Sajid Farid Shapu have expressed their happiness on awarding the gallantry medals to these police officers and employees of the state.