Gallantry Medals Awarded to STF Officers

The Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) has been awarded the President's Gallantry Medal for the encounter that resulted in the deaths of gangster Atiq Ahmed's son, Asad, and his accomplice, Mohammad Ghulam, on April 13, 2023. Both men were wanted in connection with the murder of Umesh Pal and had a bounty of Rs 5 lakh each. The STF's actions have been upheld by a judicial commission which deemed the encounter as legitimate self-defense. The medal will be presented on Independence Day, recognizing the bravery of officers including DSPs Navendu Kumar and Vimal Kumar Singh, who led the operation. The killings followed a series of violent incidents involving the Ahmed family, including the public assassination of Atiq and his brother shortly after the STF encounter. A total of 1,037 personnel from various services will also receive gallantry and service medals during the ceremony.