New Delhi

The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) bagged the maximum gallantry and service medals -- 86 in total -- among the central paramilitary forces on the occasion of the 80th Independence Day.

The country's largest paramilitary force received 24 gallantry medals (GM), five President's Medals for Distinguished Service (PSM) and 57 Medals for Meritorious Service (MSM), according to a Ministry of Home Affairs notification on Friday.

The gallantry medals were earned from two counter-terrorist operations in Jammu and Kashmir and one operation against insurgents in Manipur, both taking place in 2024, officials said.

The force is expected to get a few gallantry medals that are issued by the Ministry of Defence too, they said.

Deputy Inspector General (DIG) M Dhinakaran is among the PSM awardees.

The officer, who earlier served in the Special Protection Group (SPG), currently heads the CRPF Recruit Training Centre in Avadi, Chennai.

Dhinakaran has served in the paramilitary force for over three decades, commanding units in the anti-Naxal operations theatre and providing leadership to the intelligence and VIP security wings of the CRPF.

"The PSM was awarded to the DIG in recognition of his long and distinguished service, integrity, dedication and exemplary professional performance," an official statement said.

The CRPF, with an estimated strength of 3.25 lakh personnel, is the country's lead internal security force with its units majorly deployed in three main combat theatres -- anti-Naxal operations, counter-terrorist tasks in Jammu and Kashmir and anti-insurgency duties in the northeastern states.

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The Border Security Force (BSF) is the only other Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) that was decorated with gallantry medals (20). The border guarding force received 47 service medals (PSM and MSM) in addition to the other CAPFs.