Lucknow: On the occasion of Republic Day 2026, several officers and non-gazetted personnel of the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) have been awarded gallantry medals for displaying courage, professional competence and unwavering commitment to duty during operations against wanted criminals involved in serious and organised crime.
The honours are linked to a series of STF-led operations conducted across different parts of the state over the past few years, targeting high-reward criminals and repeat offenders facing multiple serious criminal cases. According to police records, these operations were carried out on the basis of intelligence inputs, technical surveillance and coordinated field-level planning, with the objective of dismantling organised crime networks, habitual offenders and inter-district criminal syndicates.
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Among those honoured is Rakesh, Additional Superintendent of Police, STF Field Unit, Agra. He led an STF team during a high-risk encounter on August 7, 2024, in the Farah police station area of Mathura district. During the operation, a wanted criminal carrying a reward of ₹1 lakh was critically injured and later died during treatment. Police records indicate that the accused was wanted in 39 serious criminal cases registered across Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
Dharmesh Kumar Shahi, Deputy Superintendent of Police, STF, Lucknow, has been awarded the gallantry medal for his role in supervising and directing multiple operations against organised crime gangs. His responsibilities included strategic planning, analysis of intelligence inputs, coordination among different STF units and on-ground monitoring of high-risk operations.
The list of awardees also includes Satya Prakash Singh, Inspector, STF Field Unit, Gorakhpur, and Yashwant Singh, Sub-Inspector, STF Field Unit, Gorakhpur. Both officers were involved in encounters against repeat violent offenders in eastern Uttar Pradesh, where they played key roles in securing operational areas and participating in direct action amid armed threats.
Vinod Kumar Singh, Additional Superintendent of Police, STF Field Unit, Varanasi, has been honoured for supervising multiple operations against habitual criminals active in the Varanasi zone. These operations focused on long-time offenders linked to organised crime and inter-district criminal networks.
Another awardee is Amit Srivastava, Inspector, STF Field Unit, Varanasi, who played a crucial role in an encounter on March 21, 2022, in the Lohata police station area of Varanasi (rural). During the operation, a ₹2 lakh reward-carrying criminal, identified as Manoj Singh alias Sonu Singh, was injured and later died during treatment. Records show that the accused was involved in several serious criminal cases across different districts of the state.
Baijnath Ram, Head Constable, STF Field Unit, Varanasi, has been awarded the gallantry medal for frontline deployment and operational support during armed missions. His role involved providing field-level assistance and ensuring security arrangements under high-risk conditions.
Additionally, Manoj Kumar Singh, Head Constable, STF Field Unit, Varanasi, and Santosh Kumar Singh, Inspector, STF, Lucknow, have been recognised for their sustained contributions to operations against wanted criminals involved in dozens of cases. In one such case, the accused was found to be wanted in 36 criminal cases registered at various police stations across the state.
Saurabh Mishra, Sub-Inspector, STF Field Unit, Ayodhya, has been awarded the gallantry medal for his role in coordinated operations against organised crime groups active in Ayodhya and adjoining areas.
The honours list also includes Kavindra Sahni, Head Constable, STF, Lucknow, and Atul Chaturvedi, Sub-Inspector, STF, Lucknow. Both officers were involved in an encounter on September 23, 2024, in the Achalganj police station area of Unnao district. During the operation, a ₹1 lakh reward-carrying criminal, identified as Anuj Pratap Singh, was injured and later died during treatment. Police records show that the accused was wanted in four serious criminal cases registered in Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat.
Similarly, Pradeep Kumar Singh, Sub-Inspector, STF, Lucknow, and Sushil Kumar Singh, Head Constable, STF, Lucknow, have been awarded gallantry medals for an operation conducted on June 27, 2023, in the Manjhanpur police station area of Kaushambi district. During the encounter, a ₹1.25 lakh reward-carrying criminal, identified as Gufran, was injured and later died during treatment. He was wanted in 15 serious criminal cases across multiple districts.
On the occasion, the Director General of Police and the Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order/STF) congratulated the decorated officers and personnel for their courage, disciplined execution of duty and professional conduct in high-risk situations. Senior officials stated that the awards reflect the seriousness and effectiveness of intelligence-driven STF operations aimed at maintaining law and order in the state.
The honours are being seen as recognition of the Uttar Pradesh STF’s sustained and decisive role in countering organised and armed crime across the state.
About the author — Suvedita Nath is a science student with a growing interest in cybercrime and digital safety. She writes on online activity, cyber threats, and technology-driven risks. Her work focuses on clarity, accuracy, and public awareness.
