Telangana State has received the highest number of gallantry medals for police personnel in the country on the eve of Independence Day. It was the only State unit to secure the President’s police medal for gallantry (PPMG). The other units to receive the award this year were Central Reserve Police Force, Indo-Tibetan Border Police, and the Intelligence Bureau.

• Sub-Inspector Duddekula Siddaiah and Constable Chougoni Nagaraju, who lost their lives trying to catch two Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) operatives in Nalgonda district last year, were announced as the recipients of the PPMG on Sunday.

• Two SIMI operatives had gunned down a police Constable and a Home Guard at Suryapet bus stand in Nalgonda on April 2, 2015. The entire Nalgonda district police were looking out for the duo. On a tip-off, Mr. Siddaiah of Atmakur police station, along with a police party, rushed to Janakipuram.

• Apart from the two policemen who would be honoured with the gallantry medal posthumously, Telangana also got a President’s Police Medal for distinguished service to Fire Services Director General Rajiv Ratan. The Police Medal for meritorious service was announced for 11 police personnel.

• Twenty-four more police personnel would be awarded the Police Medal for Gallantry (PMG). Warangal range DIG T. Prabhakar Rao and Counter Intelligence Cell DIG Rajesh Kumar were among the winners of PMG.