Kathua/Jammu: A few days after the encounter in the Hiranagar border area in which two terrorists were killed, nine Special Police Officers (SPOs) were regularized as constables in the police by the Director General of Police (DGP) R. R. Swain as a reward for their exceptional action.
Swain announced that the village defence groups and SPOs will be strengthened in Kathua and other areas of Jammu and Kashmir.
The encounter took place in Saida Sukhal village in Kathua district’s Hiranagar area near the International Border on June 12, left two unidentified terrorists and one CRPF jawan dead, and a civilian was injured.
The DGP, flanked by Additional Director Generals of Police (ADGPs) M K Sinha and Anand Jain, regularised SPOs with ranks of constables and appointment letters at a function organized by the district police. The SPOs who were regularized include Amit Sharma, Karanveer Singh, Sumeet Verma, Anil Choudhary, Sham Lal, Pankaj Sharma, Mukesh Rajput, Lovepreet Jatt, and Sahil Singh.
“The SPOs were regularized for the good work they did. We have an SPO component in the police that must be taken care of separately and in a fast-forward mode. We went out of the usual procedure to regularize them on a fast track to reward them,” DGP Swain told reporters.
He emphasized that when the resolve is strong, people come together. “The SPOs are performing well. We have an SOP to bring everyone together, whether SPO or otherwise, through conversion or felicitation,” he said.
The DGP also appreciated the role of other police officers and said that medals and awards for other constables or officers would be proposed separately.
He said that the senior leadership of the police has decided to strengthen village defence groups in Kathua and other areas. “SPOs will also be strengthened,” he added.

Agencies