The nation’s highest peacetime gallantry award Ashoka Chakra has been awarded posthumously to KlVSSHNV Prasad Babu, a Reserve Sub-Inspector of Andhra Pradesh even as the CRPF bagged the most number of medals this year.
The paramilitary bagged one President’s Police Medal for Gallantry (PPMG) and 33 Police Medals for Gallantry (PMG). Most of the CRPF personnel have been awarded with the medals for their gallant action in the Naxal areas. On the eve of Independence Day, the President has approved 43 Gallantry Awards to
Armed Forces Personnel and members of Paramilitary Forces including one Ashoka Chakra, three Kirti Chakra, 10 Shaurya Chakras, two Bar to Sena Medal (Gallantry), 21 Sena Medal (Gallantry), one Nao Sena Medal (Gallantry) and five Vayu Sena Medal (Gallantry). Prasad Babu while leading an assault unit of Greyhounds in an anti-Maoist operation near Andhra Pradesh-Chhattisgarh border exhibited extreme courage and conviction and was instrumental in killing nine top-cadre Maoists before attaining martyrdom.
The second highest peacetime gallantry award Kirti Chakra has been awarded to Major Mahesh Kumar of Punjab Regiment, lt Cdr Abhilash Tomy of Navy and Inspector lohit Sonowal of Assam Government. Apart from the PPMG and PMG, five officers and men of the CRPF won President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service and 58 other personnel have earned 58 Police Medal for Meritorious Service.
Deputy Commandant of 203 CoBRA Battalion PR Mishra won the PMG for the fourth time in a row. CBI officers who led probe in the AgustaWestland helicopter scam, Adarsh Housing scam, CPI-M leader Ajit Sarkar’s murder case are among 20 CBI officials who have won police medals for meritorious service on the occasion of Independence day.
Mahipal Yadav, DIG Anti-corruption, who is supervising probe in Agusta Westland Helicopter bribery scam involving the then IAF chief, and Abhin D Modak, DIG Special Crime Mumbai, who probed Adarsh Housing scam have been awarded police medals. A 1997-batch Kerala cadre officer, Yadav is leading probe in the recent railway bribery scandal involving former Railway Minister Pawan Bansal’s nephew and disproportionate assets inquiry against Mulayam Singh.