New Delhi, Oct 21 : India on Wednesday paid tribute to 154 police personnel who died in the line of duty over the past year, as Intelligence Bureau Director Mahesh Dixit led the Police Commemoration Day ceremony at the National Police Memorial in New Delhi.
Addressing the gathering, Dixit as per news agency Kashmir News Service (KNS) said 36,852 police personnel had laid down their lives since Independence while protecting citizens and safeguarding the country’s unity and integrity.
“Today, on Police Commemoration Day, we have gathered at the National Police Memorial to pay tribute to those brave police personnel who laid down their lives in the line of duty over the past year,” he said.
The annual observance commemorates the death of 10 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel in an encounter with Chinese troops at Hot Springs in Ladakh on October 21, 1959. The personnel were led by Karam Singh, an Intelligence Bureau officer.
The ceremony featured a joint commemorative parade involving personnel from the Border Security Force, Central Industrial Security Force, CRPF, Indo-Tibetan Border Police, Sashastra Seema Bal, National Security Guard, Assam Rifles, Railway Protection Force, National Disaster Response Force and Delhi Police.
The Central Armed Police Forces will organise further commemorative programmes at the memorial from October 22 to 30. Families of personnel who died in the line of duty will also participate in the events.
Dixit said the programmes were being organised in accordance with recommendations made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the 2019 Conference of Directors General and Inspectors General of Police.
PM Modi also paid tribute to police personnel, acknowledging their role in maintaining law and order, combating crime and responding to emergencies.
In a post on X, the Prime Minister said Police Commemoration Day was an occasion to express gratitude to police personnel who serve with commitment, often in challenging circumstances.
He said the courage, dedication and sacrifice of those who died in the line of duty would remain part of the nation’s collective memory. (KNS)
