490 police personnel awarded home minister's medals, CRPF gets 115 for anti-Naxal operations

NewsIndia News490 police personnel awarded home minister's medals, CRPF gets 115 for anti-Naxal operations 490 police personnel awarded home minister's medals, CRPF gets 115 for anti-Naxal operations CRPF personnel receive 115 Union home minister’s efficiency medals for anti-Naxal operations, including actions in Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand, as 490 personnel across central and state forces are honoured on Ekta Diwas NEW DELHI: Central and state police forces personnel who put up a coordinated, decisive fight to eliminate armed Naxalism by March 31, 2026, figure prominently in the list of 490 Kendriya Grihmantri Dakshata Padak (Union home minister’s efficiency medal) awardees on Ekta Diwas this year.The two key ‘special operations’ in the Naxal theatre that fetched CRPF personnel 115 home minister’s medals include the second edition of Karreguttalu Hills (KGH-2) action undertaken in February this year and the ‘Operation Medhaburu’ in Jharkhand in January 2026.

KGH-2 operation had played a decisive role in crushing the last bastion of CPI(Maoist) on the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border. It led to the surrender of top Naxal leaders Tippiri Thirupati alias Devuji and Malla Raji Reddy alias Sangram, and served as the last nail in the coffin for CPI(Maoist)’s top decision-making bodies, the politburo and central committee.

As many as 19 CRPF personnel were honoured on Ekta Diwas, which commemorates the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, for success of the KGH-2 operation.As many as 96 CRPF personnel received the home minister’s medal for a key anti-Maoist operation undertaken in Saranda forests of Jharkhand.

It nearly eliminated armed Naxalism in Jharkhand, having led to the killing of central committee member Patiram Manjhi alias Anal Da along with 14 others and forcing politburo member Misir Besra to run for cover; the latter was finally arrested from Dhanbad district in July 2026.

The ‘Kendriya Grihmantri Daksha Padak’ — instituted in 2024 — recognises excellence in operations and investigation, exceptional performance, indomitable and daring intelligence service by personnel of the Central and state police forces, besides the meritorious work done by serving govt forensic scientists.Join conversation InsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig Development While CRPF received the highest haul of home minister’s medals at 115 in the field of special operations, Chhattisgarh police personnel were honoured with 15 medals, Jharkhand police with 28, Telangana police with 21 and Maharashtra police with 7 medals.Other state/UT police honoured for operations include Delhi Police with 36 medals Punjab police with 37, Assam police (19) and Maharashtra police (7).In the investigation field, Central Board for Income-Tax and Customs (CBIC) walked away with 56 medals, CBI with 15, and National Investigation Agency (NIA) and Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) with five medals each.

Among the state police honoured for excellence in investigation, are those of Maharashtra, NCT of Delhi, West Bengal, UP, Rajasthan, Bihar, Gujarat, Karnataka etc.In the forensic field, CFSL, Chandigarh was honoured with three medals, while the police in Bihar, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Tamil Nadu received a medal each.

Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app. Bharti Jain is senior editor with The Times of India, New Delhi. She has been writing on security matters since 1996. Having covered the Union home ministry, security agencies, Election Commission and the ‘prime’ political beat, the Congress, for The Economic Times all these years, she moved to TOI in August 2012.

Her repertoire of news stories delves into the whole gamut of issues related to terrorism and internal strife, besides probing strategic affairs in India’s neighbourhood. ‘Gyanesh Won’t Survive As CEC’: Rahul Gandhi’s BIG Warning At Mock Impeachment 'Treason': Kharge BLASTS CEC Gyanesh Kumar, Lists 6 Charges At INDIA Bloc's Mock Parliament Rahul Gandhi Invites People For Ramlila Maidan March, Delhi Police Say No Permission Sought ‘Rahul Refused, You Are Last Hope’: Delhi Traders Turn To Congress Allies Over Nov 1 Rally AAP First List For Punjab Polls: CM Mann To Defend Dhuri, Jailed Minister Sanjeev Arora Gets Ticket Abhijeet Dipke Apologises To Diljit Dosanjh After Punjabi Singer Slams CJP Over Satluj Mockery ISRO Launches NVS-03 Satellite To Boost India's NavIC System, PM Modi Congratulates Scientists 'Selective': India Flags Politicisation Of UNHRC, Says ‘Credibility Rests On Even-Handedness’ They Want Ruckus, Not Debate: Amit Shah’s Big Challenge To INDIA Bloc Over Vote Theft, CEC, SIR Row