NSG personnel decorated with service medals on raising day

The minister of state for home said the force has conducted many successful counterterrorist operations including against the 2002 Akshardham temple attack in Gujarat and the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks where the commandos rescued people taken hostage by terrorists. Among the awardees, Group Commander Rakesh Kumar was decorated with the President's Police Medal for meritorious service.

Six NSG personnel were on Friday decorated with service medals by Union minister G Kishan Reddy on the occasion of the commando forces' 36th raising day. The minister of state for home said the force has conducted many successful counterterrorist operations including against the 2002 Akshardham temple attack in Gujarat and the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks where the commandos rescued people taken hostage by terrorists.

Among the awardees, Group Commander Rakesh Kumar was decorated with the President's Police Medal for meritorious service. A 1993-batch Border Security Force cadre officer, Kumar joined the NSG on deputation in 2017 and has headed the intelligence and provisioning wings of the commando force also known as the 'black cats'.

The officer has served along the India-Pakistan Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir and the insurgency affected areas of the northeast. Other officers who were given the service medals include Binod Toppo, Sachin Mittal and Rajesh Langeh.

The National Security Guard was raised as a federal contingency force in 1984 under the Union home ministry to undertake specialist counterterrorist, counter-hijack and hostage rescue operations..