Govt replaces Sheikh Abdullah’s picture embossed on J&K police medal with national emblem

Srinagar, May 23: The Jammu & Kashmir administration on Monday replaced the picture of NC founder and former Chief Minister of J&K Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah embossed on the J&K police medal for gallantry / meritorious services with the “national emblem of India”.
In an order, J&K Home department ordered that the Sher-i-Kashmir Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah embossed on one side of the medal shall be replaced with “The National Emblem of Government of India” and the other side inscribed with the J&K State Emblem shall be inscribed as “Jammu and Kashmir Police Medal for Gallantry” and “Jammu and Kashmir Police Medal for Meritorious Service” in case of Gallantry/Meritorious Medal, as the case may be.
The move comes nearly two years after the J&K administration announced a change in nomenclature of police medal for gallantry and police medal for meritorious service.
In January 2020, the government removed the word ‘Sher-e-Kashmir’, a reference to former chief minister and National Conference founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, from the police medal for gallantry/ meritorious services.
“It is hereby ordered that the words ‘Sher-i-Kashmir Police Medal for Gallantry and Sher-i-Kashmir police medal for meritorious service’ wherever appearing in the government order No.332 (P) of 2001 dated 01.08.2001, as amended from time to time, shall henceforth be read as ‘Jammu and Kashmir police medal for gallantry and Jammu and Kashmir police medal for meritorious service,” read the order issued by Home department in January 2020. (KNO)