JAP-1 band perform during the felicitation ceremony in Ranchi on Thursday. Picture by Prashant Mitra

Ranchi, March 17: The 34-member band party of Jharkhand Armed Police (JAP)-1, which won the gold medal in the 11th All India Police Band Competition in Bhopal from March 1 to 5, was felicitated in a programme organised at Doranda today.

Director-general of police G.S. Rath gave away the cash prize ranging between Rs 3,000 to Rs 5,000, besides commendation letter and a medal to each member of the winning team.

Altogether 21 teams, including teams various state police forces, Vallabh Bhai National Police Academy, Indo-Tibet Border Police (ITBP), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Border Security Force (BSF) and Railway Protection Force (RPF) participated in the competition.

They were tested for their skills in playing instruments such as bugle, bass drum, side drum, bag piper and tanner drum in 15 minutes each.

Diwakar Lama, who was declared band stick major in the event, said the state team won gold for the first time. “Last time in Hyderabad, we won silver,” he informed.

Sudhir Kumar Rana, who was declared as the best drummer of the event, said the JAP team scored 74 of 100 points while the team of Sashastra Seema Bal, which won silver in the event, scored 62 points. “We could have scored more had we got quality instruments such as those of CRPF and BSF,” he said.

Apart from the members of winning band party, those felicitated on the occasion included a hawaldar of Indian Army Bal Bahadur Thapa, who had helped prepare the team for 15 days in the battalion headquarters.

Six sportspersons of the police department, who won medals in the 34th National Games and XIX Commonwealth Games, were also felicitated on the occasion.

Addressing the jawans, Rath said that department would pay proper attention on the promotion and salary increment of the winners. He on the occasion declared JAP-1 as the best battalion of Jharkhand Armed Police (JAP) and gave away the trophy.

The felicitated sportspersons of the police department included Sunil Bahadur of JAP-1, who won gold medal in lawn bowling in the Games, and Aruna Mishra, who won four gold medals in boxing in four national events, including All India Police Games Competition and 34th National Games.

Senior National Games and All India Police Meet besides 34th National Games.

Jhanu Hansda, who won gold medal in archery event in Commonwealth games, was also felicitated.

Though Taruna Mishra, who won silver in boxing and Sahina Parveen, who won bronze in Taekwondo, and Laxmi Padia, who won bronze in the 34th National Games were also in the list, they were not present during the felicitation ceremony.