Bhubaneswar: Twin City Police Commissioner Saumendra Priyadarshi was on Thursday conferred with the President’s Police Medal (PPM) for Distinguished Service. Another officer of Odisha Police, Saroj Mohapatra was also awarded the prestigious PPM on the occasion of Republic Day.
The names of the two police officials were selected for the PPM and announced on August 14, 2022. Priyadarshi, a 1995-batch Odisha-cadre IPS officer, took over as the Commissioner of Police, Bhubaneswar and Cuttack in March 2021. Lockdowns, during a critical second wave of COVID, were executed under his leadership.
Priyadarshi held sensitive positions during his career spanning 28 years, which included Operational Intelligence, smooth conduct of Nabakalebara in Puri, many Rath Yatras, and security arrangements during the ongoing FIH Odisha Men’s Hockey World Cup 2023.
Another major milestone of Priyadarshi’s career as Twin City CP was the arrest of notorious gangster Sheikh Hyder, from Telangana. His stint as the first DCP of Cuttack was effective in checking activities of gangsters and hooligans in the Millennium City.
Today, two Commandos of the SOG were awarded the Police Medal for Gallantry and 10 cops of Odisha Police were conferred with the Police Medal for Meritorious Service.
