President Maithripala Sirisena awarded Sergeant Sanath Gunawardena Rs. 1 million yesterday for having stood up to his superiors after he found out that a lorry driver he had arrested was being released as a result of pressure from above. He had also behaved violently with his T-56 in Thebuwana and was subsequently suspended and arrested. The money was handed over to Sergeant Gunawardena and his family at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday. Picture by Chandana Perera