Lucknow, August 14: Policemen involved in killing slain gangster Atiq Ahmad's son Asad are among the 17 officers who were awarded gallantry awards on Wednesday, according to an official statement issued here. Another group of policemen engaged in the encounter of gangster Vikas Dubey's aide also won the Centre's gallantry medal, awarded annually ahead of the Independence Day.

Those who received the award include two deputy superintendents of police, four inspectors, three sub-inspectors, four head constables, and four constables who were engaged in four separate incidents of encounters with criminals, the release said. Independence Day 2024 Gallantry Awards: Indian Army Colonel Manpreet Singh, Who Died in Anantnag Anti-Terror Operation Awarded Kirti Chakra Posthumously.

Asad and his associate Ghulam, both carrying a bounty of Rs 5 lakh on their arrests, were killed during a gunfight with the Special Task Force (STF) on April 13, 2023 in Jhansi district, the statement said.

The duo's encounter fetched the gallantry medal for DSPs Vimal Kumar Singh and Navendu Kumar, Inspectors Gyanendra Kumar Rai and Anil Kumar Singh, Head Constables Sushil Kumar and Sunil Kumar, the statement said.

Sub-inspector Jitendra Pratap Singh and Constable Vipin Kumar were awarded for the encounter on July 9, 2020 in Etawah district in which wanted criminal Praveen Dubey alias Baua was killed, the release said. Praveen Dubey was a member of slain gangster Vikas Dubey's gang and involved in the attack on a police party in the Bikru area of Kanpur July 3, 2020, in which eight police personnel were killed, it added. Independence Day 2024 Gallantry Awards Winners List: Telangana Cop Chaduvu Yadaiah Gets President’s Medal for Gallantry, Know Names of Other Awardees.

In 2019, Meherbaan alias Kallu, who was wanted in 31 criminal cases and carried a reward of Rs 1 lakh, on the intervening night of August 17-18 in Bulandshahr district, according to the statement. This encounter fetched the gallantry medal for Inspector Jitendra Kumar Singh, Sub-inspector Rakesh Kumar Singh Chauhan, and Head Constables Anil Kumar and Hariom Singh, it said.

Inspector Rajeev Choudhary, Sub-inspector Jaiveer Singh, Head Constable Raees Ahmed, and Constables Arun Kumar and Ajay Kumar were honoured in connection with an encounter on April 4, 2023 in Bijnor district in which Aditya Rana, alias Ravi, a criminal who had fled police custody and carried Rs 2.50 lakh reward, was shot dead.

"Uttar Pradesh Police has ensured excellent action in the last few years under the policy of zero tolerance against crime and criminals," the statement said. The proposals for gallantry medals were sent to the Government of India from the Police Headquarters, recognising the "extraordinary actions" taken in the encounters, it added.

Director General of Police Prashant Kumar congratulated the 17 police personnel who received the Police Medal for Gallantry (PMG) and wished them a bright future, it added. A total of 213 gallantry medals have been awarded to security personnel serving in police, para-forces, fire departments, homeguards and civil defence across states in the country on the eve of Independence Day 2024.