.png?width=1200)
Barwani/Khetia (Madhya Pradesh): On the eve of Independence Day, Barwani SP Puneet Gehlot was honoured with the President’s Gallantry Medal for extraordinary bravery during his tenure in Balaghat by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
As the commandant of the special unit 'Hawk Force' established by the police of the state for Naxal eradication, SP Gehlot led an operation in November 2022 during which he successfully neutralised two Naxalites namely Rajesh Vajjam and Ganesh Madavi, who had bounties of Rs 4.9 crore on their heads.
His team was conducting a jungle search operation when they were attacked by more than two dozen Naxalites. SP Gehlot safeguarded his squad and his bravery ensured no police officer was injured. A significant cache of weapons, ammunition and Naxal documents were seized from the killed and fleeing Naxalites, including the rifle of the Naxal commander Ganesh Madavi.
His tenure as commandant of the 'Hawk Force' was highly successful, in one year he led a series of three successful encounters resulting in the elimination of six Naxalites with bounties worth crores. For these achievements, Governor Mangubhai Patel awarded the Hawk Force unit with the 'Pride of Madhya Pradesh Award'. Officers and staff of Barwani police congratulated SP Gehlot for this remarkable achievement.
