India, Jan. 25 -- A total of 942 police, fire, home guard and civil defence personnel were awarded medals this Republic Day, including gallantry medals for former inspector general (IG) Vijay Kumar and former senior superintendent of police Rakesh Balwal of Jammu and Kashmir police for eliminating a Pakistani terrorist and his Kashmiri associate in Srinagar's Bemina areas in June 2022 before they could attack the Amarnath Yatra.

Vijay Kumar is currently posted in Delhi police while Rakesh Balwal, who had also investigated the 2019 Pulwama attack during his stint in the National Investigation Agency (NIA), is now deployed in Manipur.

Overall, 95 gallantry medals have been awarded this year, with most bagged by the Central Reserve Police ...