Kolkata, Aug. 27 -- Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Thursday presented the prestigious Jeevan Raksha Padak awards to 10 Kolkata Police personnel for their exemplary acts of bravery in saving the lives of several citizens. The awards were handed over at a solemn ceremony held at Lalbazar.
Vaibhav Tiwari, Joint Commissioner of Police (Armed Police), Kolkata, topped the list of awardees, followed by Ishani Paul, Deputy Commissioner of the South West Division. The honours also went to Taratala police station OC Silash Toppo, two other OCs, two Assistant Sub-Inspectors and three sepoys of the Disaster Management Group (DMG).
Addressing the gathering after the ceremony, Adhikari praised the prompt response of Kolkata Police, its Disaster Management Group (DMG) and the fire brigade during the Taratala warehouse collapse. He also lauded the fire brigade's swift action during the New Market hotel fire, saying it helped save around 80 lives.
Adhikari said the government was committed to modernising and strengthening the police force. He announced that each of the 552 state police stations would be provided with a dedicated quick-response vehicle linked to the 112 emergency helpline.
He also stressed the need for a stronger fight against corruption, saying the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) would be further strengthened. Referring to the appointment of Murlidhar Sharma, he urged police personnel to remain vigilant and stay away from corrupt practices.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.