New Delhi, October 21, KDC: A total of 154 police personnel lost their lives in the line of duty over the past year, while 36,852 personnel have made the supreme sacrifice since Independence, Intelligence Bureau Director Dr Mahesh Dixit said on Tuesday during Police Commemoration Day observances at the National Police Memorial in New Delhi.
Paying tribute to the fallen personnel, Dixit, according to news agency Kashmir Dot Com, said the annual observance honours police personnel who sacrificed their lives while performing their duties and protecting the country’s unity, integrity and citizens.
“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.
Dixit recalled the events of October 21, 1959, when 10 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel, led by Karam Singh, Deputy Central Intelligence Officer of the Intelligence Bureau, lost their lives while confronting an armed Chinese military contingent along the India-China border.
He said the date has since been observed annually as Police Commemoration Day to honour the sacrifices of police personnel.
The IB Director said tributes were being paid to fallen personnel through programmes organised in state capitals, districts and police stations across the country.
At the national level, a joint commemorative parade was held at the National Police Memorial, featuring personnel from the Border Security Force (BSF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), CRPF, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), National Security Guard (NSG), Assam Rifles, Railway Protection Force (RPF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and Delhi Police.
Dixit said commemorative events would also be organised at the memorial by various Central Armed Police Forces from October 22 to October 30, in accordance with recommendations made by the Prime Minister at the 2019 Conference of Directors General and Inspectors General of Police.
Families of fallen personnel would participate in these programmes, he added.
Emphasising the significance of the annual observance, Dixit said police personnel had made immense sacrifices in the service of the nation and in ensuring the safety of its citizens.
He reiterated that Police Commemoration Day serves as an occasion to remember those who lost their lives in the line of duty and acknowledge the contribution of police forces across the country. (KDC)
