124 police personnel awarded

PATNA: Even as Central and state governments continue to mull over ways to effectively contain the ever increasing onslaught of the Maoists across the country, the Bihar police has awarded 124 police personnel, including eight IPS officers, for their contribution in maintaining internal security in extremist-hit districts.
The police personnel selected for the Internal Security Medal include additional director general (ADG, CID) Rajyavardhan Sharma, three DIGs — Shahabad Range DIG A K Ambedkar, DIG (Personnel) J S Gangwar, and deputy inspector general (Munger) Amit Kumar.
Of the four SPs selected for this prestigious award, the name of former senior superintendent of police (Patna) Kundan Krishnan (now on Central deputation) also figures in the list. Bhagalpur SP B S Meena, Gaya SP Sushil Mohan Khopade and Siwan SP Amit Kumar Jain, have been selected for the medal for contributing in anti-Maoist operations.
The three deputy superintendents of police (DSP) rank officers — Dilnawaz Ahmad (Phulwari), Anjani Kumar Singh (Jehanabad) and Mithilesh Kumar (headquarters, Jehanabad) — are among the seven DSPs selected for this medal. As many as 71 policemen of the Special Task Force have also been selected for this award.
Speaking on the Bihar police decision to award police personnel, DGP Neelmani said here on Friday, "The Union ministry of home affairs started awarding police personnel for maintaining internal security a few years back, but the Bihar police has awarded them only for the second time to encourage more and more policemen to participate in anti-Naxal operations."The DGP added that such operations involve arresting Maoists, seizure of Maoist firearms and literature and killing them in police encounters.
Moreover, the Bihar police has spruced its anti-Maoist operations by using the 56 landmine resistance vehicles it bought within last three-four years from the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Andhra Pradesh. Each such vehicle costs about Rs 60 lakh. More such vehicles are in the pipeline for the 15 extreme Naxal-hit districts including Jamui, Kaimur, Jehanabad and Arwal and eight relatively extreme Naxal-hit districts like East Champaran and West Champaran. Said the DGP, "These vehicles will not blow up on contact with landmines placed by Maoists as they have been specially designed."