The world’s biggest paramilitary force CRPF on Friday bagged the maximum number of gallantry medals amongst the security agencies in the country, including one Shaurya Chakra and 64 President’s Medal for Gallantry (PMG) for gallant action in different internal security theatres. Two of these medals were awarded posthumously.
HK Jha, Second-in-Command, was awarded the Shaurya Chakra posthumously. He led his troops to apprehend a senior Maoist commander during an operation conducted on the inter-State border of Bihar and Jharkhand lakhari village Jamui (Bihar) on July 3, 2014, while sacrificing himself for the supreme cause.
“Shaheed Inspector Parwal Parimal who has been awarded the PMG posthumously displayed conspicuous gallantry, exemplary courage under adversity, utmost dedication to duties, when he took on the Maoists who had laid an ambush on the security forces in Jharkhand and despite being himself badly injured, organised his troops and launched a counter-attack forcing the Maoists to flee from their well entrenched positions with their injured cadres,” the CRPF said in a statement.
CRPF officer Prakash Ranjan Mishra has become the only person from paramilitary or police forces to have been decorated with a gallantry medal the seventh time for displaying exemplary courage in anti-Naxal operations.
Mishra, a commando-trained officer of the elite CoBRA unit of the CRPF, has been honoured with the Police Medal for Gallantry (PMG) on the eve of the Independence Day.
The officer is on a special deputation to Jharkhand Police, since May 2013, from CRPF and is currently posted as Additional Superintendent of Police in Naxal-affected Khunti district of the State. He is a Deputy Commandant rank officer in the CRPF.
Forty seven medals have been awarded for displaying conspicuous valour in Naxal theatre, whereas, North East and Jammu and Kashmir have accounted for twelve and six respectively. Twenty-two of these medals have been bagged by the gallant officers in keeping with highest traditions of the Force, of leading the troops from the front, the read the statement.
Apart from above, five officers and men have been awarded the President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service and fifty two with Police Medal for Meritorious Service.
Till date, the CRPF has been awarded 1,499 medals, which includes one George Cross, three King’s PMG, one Ashok Chakra, one Kirti Chakra, one Padma Shri, one Vir Chakra, 13 Shaurya Chakras, 49 PPFSMG, 189 PPMG, one Yudh Seva Medal , five Sena Medal, four Vishisht Seva Medal, 1124 PMG, five IPMG, three Jeevan Raksha Padak and 98 PM’s Police Medal for life Saving.