76 conferred medals for distinguished services

Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla conferred medals upon 76 personnel of police, Home Guards and Civil Defence for their distinguished services at an investiture ceremony held at the Raj Bhavan here today.

Commandant General, Home Guards and Civil Defence, Satwant Atwal Trivedi and Additional Director, CBI, N Venugopal, were honoured with the President’s Police Medal for their distinguished services. This investiture ceremony was being held after five years, the last one being in 2020.

The Governor congratulated the awardees and acknowledged their unwavering dedication, courage and commitment to public service. He emphasised that their contribution to law enforcement and public safety had been instrumental in safeguarding society.

The Governor lauded the efforts of several awardees in combating drug abuse, stating that their commitment to this cause would inspire others to join the fight against this menace.

He highlighted the crucial role of the police and Home Guard forces in Himachal Pradesh, especially during disasters, crime prevention, traffic control and ensuring peace in society. He said initiatives like smart policing, digital surveillance, disaster management training, and the provision of modern security equipment are enhancing the capabilities of police and home guard services.

Padma Shree awardees Vidyanand Sarek and Nek Ram, besides Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Anirudh Singh were also present.

29 cops clear cyber commando test

• As many as 29 police personnel from the state have cleared the test for cyber commandos
• The test was held at the all-India level and police officials from various states took it
• Around 1,042 of 3,093 police personnel, who took the test, passed the exam
• The selected personnel will get six months training in cyber security in various IITs
• These commandos will enhance the state’s capacity in fighting cyber crimes