Posthumous recognition for two BSF personnel

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New Delhi, January 25

Two Border Security Force (BSF) personnel who were killed in the line of duty in Congo in 2022 were awarded the President’s Medal for Gallantry posthumously on the eve of the 75th Republic Day.

Head Constables Sanwala Ram Vishnoi and Shishupal Singh were honoured for their outstanding contribution as part of the United Nations Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo, said a Home Ministry statement released on Thursday.

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, the statement added.

A total of 16 gallantry and service medals have been merged into four now. These medals are now categorised as President’s Medal for Gallantry (PMG), Medal for Gallantry (GM), President’s Medal for Distinguished Service (PSM) and 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 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, it said.

The PSM is awarded for special distinguished record in service and MSM is awarded for valuable service characterised by resource and devotion to duty.

The maximum gallantry medals have been given to 72 J&K Police personnel, followed by 65 to the Central Reserve Police Force 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.