Eight police officers to get West Bengal's Shaurya Padak for gallantry

Kolkata, Jan 19 (PTI) Eight police officers will be awarded West Bengal government's 'Shaurya Padak 2023' for their roles in arresting a number of al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) terrorists in the state during their stint with the state Special Task Force (STF), a senior official said on Friday.

The eight officers are additional SP of Birbhum district Parag Ghosh, DSP of West Bengal STF Abhishek Chakraborty, IC of Purulia (M) Police Station Soumya Chattopadhyay, SI with Birbhum Police District Sayantan Bandyopadhyay, SI with Barrackpore Police Commissionerate Baidurja Ghosh and three officers of state Special Task Force — Banoshoban Ghosh, Shantunu Mondal and Zakir Hossain, he said.

"These officers were with the state STF, but they are now posted in different positions at various commissionerates and districts. They achieved major success arresting four to five members of the AQIS module," the officer said.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will present the awards to the officers at the Dhandhanye auditorium in Alipore, he added.

Ghosh led the investigation while Soumya Chattopadhyay was the OC of the Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) of the state STF.

During the investigation, the STF obtained a lot of information about the activities of the outfit.

The 'Shaurya Padak' is awarded to police personnel for their 'outstanding gallantry' with a record of overall satisfactory service. The Padak shall be in the form of a 5-cornered star made of metal alloy with gold gilt. PTI SCH MNB