KOLKATA: The state will recommend assistant sub-inspector Ratan Kumar Dey to the Centre for the country’s highest gallantry award for serving policemen, apart from honouring him with the state’s own bravery award.
According to senior Bengal police officers, instructions came from Nabanna to ensure Dey was given the “honour he deserves for his bravery” for playing “the most important role” in tackling an interstate gang of bank robbers who had struck at Ranaghat and Purulia on August 29, despite them firing at him.
The development came on Friday, when 12 police personnel from Bengal were conferred the chief minister’s bravery award for their heroic actions in 2022. Among the recipients four were from Kolkata Police. Soumen Haiti is a combat battalion constable, who as a deep diver, helped save lives in the Hooghly. Inspector Prasenjit Chatterjee, OC Shyambazar Traffic Guard, saved lives in a fire in Shyambazar.
TOI had reported on Dey, who was not even on duty at the Ranaghat PS, when he learnt about the jewellery store heist in Ranaghat. Dey asked sub-inspector Aftab Alam to allow him to be part of the QRT, which comprised two more cops. Dey, despite being 102 kg, chased the robbers and fended off firings from them. “The robbers fired eight rounds from five arms, which were recovered later. Dey was not deterred as he fired back, Alam giving him cover,” said ADG (law and order) Jawed Shamim. “Dey and his cover team, by then joined by several other cops, shot two robbers in the legs. The two cops chased down two more robbers for 220m. The loot, worth Rs 1 crore, Rs 3.8 lakh cash and five firearms were recovered,” said DIG (Murshidabad) Rashid Munir Khan.
According to senior Bengal police officers, instructions came from Nabanna to ensure Dey was given the “honour he deserves for his bravery” for playing “the most important role” in tackling an interstate gang of bank robbers who had struck at Ranaghat and Purulia on August 29, despite them firing at him.
The development came on Friday, when 12 police personnel from Bengal were conferred the chief minister’s bravery award for their heroic actions in 2022. Among the recipients four were from Kolkata Police. Soumen Haiti is a combat battalion constable, who as a deep diver, helped save lives in the Hooghly. Inspector Prasenjit Chatterjee, OC Shyambazar Traffic Guard, saved lives in a fire in Shyambazar.
TOI had reported on Dey, who was not even on duty at the Ranaghat PS, when he learnt about the jewellery store heist in Ranaghat. Dey asked sub-inspector Aftab Alam to allow him to be part of the QRT, which comprised two more cops. Dey, despite being 102 kg, chased the robbers and fended off firings from them. “The robbers fired eight rounds from five arms, which were recovered later. Dey was not deterred as he fired back, Alam giving him cover,” said ADG (law and order) Jawed Shamim. “Dey and his cover team, by then joined by several other cops, shot two robbers in the legs. The two cops chased down two more robbers for 220m. The loot, worth Rs 1 crore, Rs 3.8 lakh cash and five firearms were recovered,” said DIG (Murshidabad) Rashid Munir Khan.
