Partha Biswas, officer of the 13th battalion of the State Armed Police, who, along with his friend Soumyajit Basu, went missing on October 22 from the Maoist stronghold area of Ayodha Hills in Purulia, has been nominated for a police award. Since he remains untraced, the award will be sent to his family.
Also among the awardees is Lalbahadur Pradhan who was injured while trying to protect the Silda police camp of the Eastern Frontier Rifles when attacked by Maoists earlier this year.
“He is injured, but is expected to come to the award function on Tuesday,” West Bengal Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) S. Kar Purakayastha said. Mr. Pradhan will be among the five who will receive the highest State police award – Shaurya (gallantry)
The four others would be posthumous recipients, all of them having lost their lives in battles with rebels. The awards would be given by Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee at the Eighth Investiture Ceremony.
