Former Pathankot top cop, DSPs awarded for Gurdaspur heroics

Former Pathankot SSP Rakesh Kaushal and two Deputy Superintendents have been felicitated for showing exemplary courage while fighting heavily-armed terrorists from Pakistan in Dinanagar and defusing bombs on rail track in Talwandi on July 27.
Former Pathankot Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Rakesh Kaushal and Deputy Superintendents of Police Prabhjot Singh Virk and Manoj Thakur have been awarded with Director General of Police's Commendation Disc, a police spokesperson said today.
While, other 64 police officials of different ranks were given various bravery awards, he said.
Kaushal and other police officials actively took on terrorists in the 12-hour long gun battle at Dinanagar police station in Gurdaspur and also supervised the operation to defuse five live bombs planted on rail track at Talwandi near Pathankot, he said.

"Although both the areas are under Gurdaspur district, yet I along with other officials rushed to both the spots and took active part in the encounter which helped in elimination of the militants and also saved precious lives and property by getting the bombs defused at the railway track," Kaushal said on receiving the award.
In a major terror attack on July 27, three fidayeen, believed to have come from Pakistan, had attacked passengers in a moving bus and stormed Dina Nagar police station.
Seven people, including Superintendent of Police (Detective) Baljeet Singh, were killed by the terrorists before they were eliminated by the commandos of the Special Weapons and Tactics Team (SWAT) of Punjab police in an operation that lasted 12 hours.