Srinagar, Aug 16 (KNS): The Jammu and Kashmir Police has emerged as the single largest recipient of gallantry honours in this year's Independence Day medals list, with 52 of its personnel being decorated—including 38 for valour—in a record haul that underscores the force's pivotal role in the region's anti-militancy grid.
With the official notification now a day old, the final tally places the J&K Police at the forefront of the national honours list, accounting for one President's Medal for Distinguished Service, 38 Gallantry Medals, and 13 Medals for Meritorious Service.
Senior Superintendent of Police Shoket Hussain Shah was the lone officer from the Union Territory to be conferred with the President's Medal for Distinguished Service, his name figuring at serial number 44 in the official gazette released on the eve of Independence Day.
The gallantry medals, which form the bulk of the J&K Police's share, were awarded across all ranks—from Deputy Inspectors General and Superintendents of Police to Inspectors, Assistant Sub-Inspectors, Head Constables, SgCTs, and Constables—reflecting the force's deep operational involvement at every level.
Notably, the list also recognises repeated acts of courage, with Deputy Superintendent of Police Sarfaraz Bashir receiving the 2nd Bar to the Gallantry Medal, while Head Constable Rayeesh Ahmad Reshi, SgCT Ishtiaq Ahmed Khan, and Assistant Sub-Inspector Mohinder Singh were awarded the 1st Bar to the Gallantry Medal.
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Senior officers decorated for gallantry include Deputy Inspector General Shiv Kumar (IPS), Senior Superintendent of Police Shobhit D. Saksena (IPS), Superintendent of Police Nasir Ahmad, Superintendent of Police Divya D (IPS), Senior Superintendent of Police Mushtaq Ahmad, and Deputy Inspector General Pande Rajiv Omprakash (IPS).
In the Meritorious Service category, 13 J&K Police personnel were recognised, including Superintendents of Police Sandeep Kumar and Amit Gupta, Deputy Superintendents of Police Rajesh Sharma, Muzaffar Ahmad Shah, Kuljeet Singh, and Sharat Chander Singh, along with Inspectors Shamim Ahmed, Vikram Singh, and Mumin Ahmad Rather, among others.
With the Independence Day honours now formally recorded, the J&K Police's 52-medal haul—the highest in recent years in the gallantry category—stands as a powerful testament to the force's unwavering commitment in the face of persistent security challenges. A separate award for Vinod Kumar Sharma, Divisional Warden, J&K, under the Home Guard and Civil Defence category, took the total awards associated with the Union Territory to 53.
The 2026 Independence Day medals are now a matter of official record, cementing the J&K Police's position as the most decorated force in this year's honours list. (KNS)