Raymond P Diengdoh - first officer in N-E to get Ashok Chakra

Raymond P. Diengdoh, who laid down his life fighting militants in an encounter in 2007 in Ri-Bhoi district of Meghalaya, was posthumously awarded the Ashok Chakra - the country’s highest civilian award, on Republic day, the first officer in the North-East to be bestowed with the gallantry honour.  The slain DSP was among the ‘eleven brave hearts of the nation’ that were honoured with India’s highest peacetime gallantry award, the ‘Ashok Chakra’ by President Pratibha Patil during the Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi. Raymond Diengdoh had led a police party to Paham-Umdoh area of Ri-Bhoi district of Meghalaya on November 7, 2007, after getting a tip-off that ten militants of the proscribed HNLC and the NDFB, armed with automatic rifles and huge quantity of explosives had set up a camp in the deep jungles. As the militants fired their automatic weapons, Diengdoh led the charge and shot dead one militant. Despite being hit by a bullet, he led from the front and captured two hardcore militants before dying.

Though Meghalaya police personnel have unfailingly figured every year in the nation’s honour list, this, however, is the first time that such a prestigious award has been conferred on a police officer of the state, albeit posthumously. The posthumous conferring of the nation’s highest peacetime gallantry award, usually the preserve of the Army, as recognition of the valour and selfless sacrifice of Diengdoh, will continue to be an inspiration to the Meghalaya Police.