Three policemen who fought 26/11 attackers Ajmal Kasab and Ismail Khan at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) have been awarded the President’s Police Medal for Gallantry.

Senior Divisional Security Commissioner Sarat Chandra Parhi, Inspector Sandip Dadaji Khiratkar and Sub-Inspector Kiran Vasant Bhosale, from the Railway Protection Force (RPF), had forced the two terrorists to flee the station.

Khiratkar told Hindustan Times that he had used his rifle to fire 20 bullets, which ultimately forced Kasab to leave the station. “It was a terrible night,” said the 38-year old.

Recalling that night, Khiratkar said the duo first attacked passengers on the outstation platform and then headed towards local lines.

“They tried to escape from the subway,” Khiratkar said adding that Parhi, Bhosale and he engaged Kasab and Ismail in a gun battle for some time before the duo fled.

Khiratkar has been posted with the RPF in Mumbai for four years. He was earlier posted in Pune.

Two policemen from the Maharashtra Police have been awarded the President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service. Deputy Superintendent of Police (State Intelligence Department) Shirish Inamdar and Babarao Ingle, commandant, State Reserve Police Force, have been named the recipients of the award.

Inamdar is a veteran at intelligence gathering and assessment. He has also served as the principal of the Special Branch Training Institute and had trained the first batch of the dedicated intelligence cadre of the state.

He has won more than 200 awards including the Medal for Meritorious Service from the President of India in 2000 and the Director General’s insignia for meritorious service.

Other officers who have been awarded the President’s Police Medal for Meritorious Service include Indian Police Service officers R. K. Padmanabhan (Additional Commissioner of Police, South Region), Ritesh Kumar (Additional Commissioner of Police, East Region) and Amitabh Gupta (Additional Commissioner of Police, West Region).