Keonjhar Police Pay Tribute To 10 Decorated Personnel With Postage Stamps

Bhubaneswar: Keonjhar Police, in collaboration with India Post, has released 10 postage stamps, each featuring Ashok Chakra awardees from the Police Department under ‘My Stamp’ scheme.

The stamps with the Konark Sun Temple in the backdrop are of Rs 5 denomination.

“This is a symbolic gesture in honour and memory of the ultimate sacrifice of heroes of the nation. It is very sad that unlike the defence personnel, sacrifices of the police personnel generally go unnoticed,” said SP (Keonjhar) J N Pankaj.

One should always remember that internal security is as important as external security and the sacrifices made by police personnel are as holy, he added.

Ashok Chakra is India’s highest peacetime gallantry medal equivalent to Param Vir Chakra. A total of 84 people have been conferred with Ashok Chakra till date. Most of the medalists are defence personnel and a few civilians, with only 10 from police.

Stamps feature following Ashok Chakra awardees (State Police and Central police).

1. Randhir Prasad Verma, IPS, died while trying to resist a robbery attempt in a bank account Dhanbad. He was posthumously awarded Ashoka Chakra in 1992.The Government of India also issued a Commemorative postage stamp in his honor in 2004.
2. Kamlesh Kumari Yadav was a constable in CRPF. She died on 13 December 2001 after successfully preventing terrorist gunmen and a terrorist suicide bomber from reaching Parliament during the 2001 Indian Parliament attack. She was posthumously awarded Ashok Chakra.
3. Pramod Kumar Satapathy was an Assistant Commandant of the Special Operation Group of Odisha Police. He died fighting Naxals with bravery post Nayagadh Armory attack in 2008. He was posthumously awarded Ashok Chakra on Republic Day, 2009.
4. R. P. Diengdoh was an Indian police officer in Meghalaya Police. In 2007, he led an operation to eliminate militants from the Meghalayan jungles. In the process, he killed one militant and helped capture two, but sustained gunshot wounds and later succumbed to his injuries. For his bravery, he was posthumously awarded the Ashoka Chakra in 2008.
5. Mohan Chand Sharma was a Police Inspector in Delhi Police, Special Cell and was killed during the Batla House encounter in Delhi with terrorists. Sharma was a much-decorated police officer. He was awarded with “Ashoka Chakra” on 26 January 2009.
6. Tukaram Omble was an assistant sub-inspector of the Mumbai Police. He was martyred in action while fighting terrorists during the 26/11, 2008 Mumbai attacks. He was awarded posthumously Ashoka Chakra in 2009.
7. Ashok Kamte was the Additional Commissioner of the Mumbai Police . He was martyred during the 26/11 terrorist attack. His bravery was honored with the Ashoka Chakra on 26 January 2009.
8. Vijay Salaskar was a Police Inspector in Mumbai police. He was martyred while fighting terrorists in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. His patriotism and bravery was honoured with the Ashoka Chakra on January 26, 2009.
9. Hemant Karkare was the chief of the Mumbai Police Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS). He was killed in action during the 2008 Mumbai attacks. His bravery was honoured with the Ashoka Chakra on January 26, 2009.
10. K Prasad Babu was an Indian police officer belonging to the Greyhounds of the Andhra Pradesh Police. He was posthumously awarded Ashoka Chakra, after he played a vital role in thwarting a Naxal Attack, killing nine Maoists and helped save many innocent lives.