Chennai: A Coast Guard officer who effected the largest seizure of heroin in the country worth Rs 3,500 crore and another who helped rescue more than 50 people in the devastating floods in Kerala in 2018 were among 62 officers honoured on Tuesday by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
Ajay Kumar was awarded the Tatrakshak Medal Gallantry for leading the team that seized the narcotic.
Ankit Kumar, Pradhan Navik (Quarter Armour) was also awarded the Tatrakshak Medal, Gallantry for helping rescue more than 50 people in the devastating floods in Kerala last year.
The citation presented to Ajay Kumar said he received an intelligence input that narcotics would be transported in a vessel off the Andaman and Nicobar islands on July 29, 2017.
Braving rough seas, Kumar along with other officers intercepted the vessel and found it did not have any valid documents.
During further examination, the officers recovered 1,526 packets containing 1,445 kg of heroin worth Rs 3,500 crore, concealed in water tanks, the citation said.
Ankit Kumar, having no knowledge of the terrain, battled strong currents in the flooded Pamba river, unknown obstructions and zero visibility to rescue more than 50 people stranded in their homes Coast Guard Inspector General (East) Rajan Bargotra was awarded the President's Tatrakshak Medal-Distinguished Service by Singh for his leadership qualities and planning ability in search operations to trace the Dornier aircraft of the Indian Air Force, which went missing on July 2016, the citation said.
The incident necessitated the continuous deployment of Coast Guard ships and aircraft.
Under Barotra's stewardship, the search and rescue operation was coordinated with the deployment of 28 ships for 287 days from various agencies, the citation said.
It said he had helmed various important Coast Guard formations in the Eastern region and handled numerous operations.
Bargotra also led a Coast Guard team which responded to an oil spill in January 2017 off Chennai coast after two merchant ships collided.
The officer's personnel handling resulted in prompt payment of Rs 2.68 crore by one of the defaulting ships for the services provided by Coast Guard, the citation said.
Bargotra has been instrumental in accelerating the infrastructure development in the region, it said.
Soon after the investiture ceremony, Rajnath Singh, who is on a two-day visit to the city, proceeded to the Raj Bhavan and met Governor Banwarilal Purohit and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami and held brief discussions with them, official sources said.
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