CM Vijay presented President's, Union Home Minister's and Chief Minister's Police Medals to 630 police, fire and prison personnel at a grand ceremonial parade, and flagged off a new vehicle fleet for the Coastal Security Group.
CM Vijay presented state and national police medals to 630 personnel from the police, fire and rescue, and prisons and correctional services departments at a ceremonial parade held at Rajarathinam Stadium in Egmore, Chennai on Friday. The Chief Minister arrived at the saluting dais and inspected the parade in an open vehicle before the medal presentations began.
The parade — commanded by Deputy Commissioner of Police Akash Joshi and Second-in-Command Assistant Superintendent of Police Ajith Punia — featured contingents including the Mounted Police, Fire and Rescue Services, Disaster Response Force, Coastal Security Group, the all-women "Singappen" Special Task Force, Prisons and Correctional Services, and the Commando Force. Attendees paid respects to the President's Colour, the highest honour awarded to the Tamil Nadu Police, marking 160 years of service and making it the first police force in South India to receive the distinction.
To strengthen surveillance, patrolling and emergency response along Tamil Nadu's 1,076 km coastline spanning 14 districts, CM Vijay flagged off 42 newly inducted Mahindra Thar Roxx four-wheelers and 96 Honda Unicorn two-wheelers for the Coastal Security Group, procured at a cost of over ₹8.27 crore. The ceremony also featured specialised operational demonstrations, including a hostage rescue and anti-terror mock drill by the Commando Force's Quick Reaction Team and House Intervention Team.
Among the highlights was a dog squad display featuring six of the force's trained canines — Maya, Jimmy, Vicky, Rocky, Pablo and Rusty, a native Kombai breed that won gold at a 2024 state-level trial. The standout moment came when Rocky, a trained police sniffer dog, confidently walked up to the dais carrying a basket of flowers in its mouth, escorted by handlers and security personnel, before bowing and presenting the floral basket to the Chief Minister. CM Vijay warmly returned the gesture with a salute, drawing loud applause and delighting the audience — a moment that quickly became the highlight of the ceremony.
Tamil Nadu Police Police Medals Coastal Security Group CM Vijay July 31, 2026