Police Demand Bribe to Trace Martyr’s Medals

Bhopal: Police officials of Shahpura allegedly demanded bribe to trace the war medals of martyr Captain Devashish Sharma of Punjab Battalion.

According to the soldier's mother, Nirmala Sharma, a resident of Shahpura locality in Bhopal, said that her only son, Captain Devashish Sharma of Punjab Battalion, was killed on 10 December 1994, during Operation Rakshak. Captain Devashish Sharma was posthumously awarded Kirti Chakra by the Government of India and a bravery award by the Jammu and Kashmir government.

However, on 21 October 2014 the medals were stolen during a theft at their house. Nirmala Sharma lodged a police compliant following the theft but to her horror the police personnel at the station demanding a bribe as processing fee to investigate the case. She promptly refused to pay the bribe.

After the media reports, state Home Minister Bhupinder Singh, met Nirmala Sharma and assured her of reopening the case. He also added that he will take action against police officials who had asked for a bribe. The minister said that the Madhya Pradesh government will speak to the Army for replacement of the medals.