Assam Police STF wins national award for Operation Praghat
Guwahati: The Special Task Force (STF) of Assam Police has been awarded the Kendriya Grihmantri Dakshata Padak (KGDP) 2025 in the Special Operations category for its role in Operation Praghat.
Operation Praghat was a multi-state counter-terror mission that dismantled a jihadi network across Assam, West Bengal, and Kerala.
The STF, led by Partha Sarathi Mahanta, IPS, Inspector General of Police (STF), received one of India’s top policing honours for its “remarkable success and operational excellence” during the coordinated crackdown.
Key officers recognised for their contributions include Pranab Kumar Pegu (Addl. SP STF), Anurag Sarmah (Addl. SP STF), Kh. Satyendra Singh Hazari (Dy SP STF), and Inspectors Saroj Doley, Sankar Jyoti Nath, Kapil Pathak, and Vikram Basumatary.
Launched in December 2024, Operation Praghat was a joint counter-terror effort by the police forces of Assam, West Bengal, and Kerala.
The STF arrested eight suspects, including a Bangladeshi national, Md Sad Radi alias Md Shab Sheikh (32), who had illegally entered India to activate sleeper cells in the Northeast and other regions.
Officials said the module operated under the guidance of Md Farhan Israk, a close aide of Jasimuddin Rahmani, head of the banned Bangladesh-based terror group Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT).
The group aimed to recruit local youth, establish training networks, procure weapons, and target members of the RSS and other Hindu organisations to incite communal unrest and destabilise the region.
In addition to the STF, officers from Assam Police’s Investigation Field category were recognised for their work.
Awardees included Phulkan Narzary (Dy SP), Akhilesh Kumar Singh (SP), Prakash Sonowal (SDPO), Madhurima Das (Dy SP), and Umesh Borah (SI).
The Kendriya Grihmantri Dakshata Padak, instituted in February 2024 by the Ministry of Home Affairs under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, honours excellence in Special Operations, Investigation, Intelligence, and Forensic Science.
Announced annually on October 31, the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the awards aim to maintain high professional standards and boost morale among police and CAPF personnel nationwide.
Across India, 1,466 personnel received awards in different categories this year.