New Delhi: Over 1,000 police personnel have been awarded with different categories of gallantry and service medals on the eve of the 75th Republic Day, a government statement said Thursday. This includes 277 gallantry medals.

After the recent restructuring of medals, a total of 1,132 personnel of police, fire service, home guard, and civil defence and correctional service have been awarded gallantry and service medals on the occasion of Republic Day, 2024, the statement from the Union home ministry said.

A total of 16 gallantry and service medals have been merged into four now. These medals are now categorised as the President's Medal for Gallantry (PMG), the Medal for Gallantry (GM), the President's Medal for distinguished service (PSM), and the Medal for meritorious service (MSM).

Among the 277 gallantry awards, 119 have gone to personnel deployed in Left Wing Extremism-affected areas and 133 to personnel from the Jammu & Kashmir region, the statement said.

The top category PMG has been accorded to two Border Security Force (BSF) personnel posthumously for their "outstanding contribution in the prestigious task of peacekeeping as part of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) as members of the 15th Congo Contingent of BSF at the Moroccan Rapid Deployment Battalion (MORRDB) camp at Butembo."

BSF head constables Sanwala Ram Vishnoi and Shishu Pal Singh were killed in the line of duty in Congo in July 2022.

The PMG and GM medals are awarded on grounds of "rare conspicuous act of gallantry" and "conspicuous act of gallantry", respectively, in saving life and property, or in preventing crime or arresting criminals, the risk incurred being estimated with due regard to the obligations and duties of the officer concerned, the statement said.

The PSM is awarded for a specially distinguished record in service and MSM is awarded for valuable service characterised by resource and devotion to duty, it said.

The maximum gallantry medals have been given to Jammu and Kashmir police personnel at 72, followed by 65 to the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) troops, 18 from Maharashtra, 26 from Chhattisgarh, 23 from Jharkhand, 15 from Odisha, eight personnel from Delhi Police and 21 personnel from the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB).

Kerala officials 
 

PSM

Police Service

Shri Mahipal Yadav, Excise Commissioner
Shri Gopesh Agrawal, Additional Director General Of Police

Fire Service
Shri Vijayakumar F, Assistant Station Officer

MSM

Police Service

Shri A Akbar, Inspector General Of Police And Commissioner Of Police
Shri Rd Ajith, Superintendent Of Police, NRI Cell
Shri Sunilkumar V, Superintendent Of Police
Shri Sheen Tharayil, Assistant Commissioner Of Police, Traffic South
Shri Sunil Kumar Chervttara Kanayal, Deputy Superintendent Of Police
Shri Sugathan V, Additional Superintendent Of Police
Shri Salish Ns, Deputy Superintendent Of Police
Shri Radhakrishnapillai K K, Assistant Sub Inspector (G) 
Shrj Surendran B, Assistant Sub Inspector Of Police
Shrj Jyodindrakumar P, Inspector Of Police
Smt. Mini K, Assistant Sub Inspector Of Police (Grade)

Fire Service

Shri Jiji N, Assistant Station Officer
Shri Puliyara Kandi Pramod, Assistant Station Officer
Shri Anilkumar S, Assistant Station Officer
Shri Anil Pallath Mani, Senior Fire And Rescue Officer

 With inputs from PTI, MHA site