New Delhi (NVI): As many as 35,136 police personnel have laid down their lives in the line of duty to the nation so far, including 292 martyrs whose names were added to the list on the occasion of Police Commemoration Day here on October 21.
This was informed by Home Minister Amit Shah at a programme organised to mark the police commemoration day at the National Police Memorial.
Addressing the event, Shah said, “Police are the silent sentinels of the nation and without a stable law and order situation, fruits of development cannot reach the last mile.”
“The guarding of borders to traffic management and fighting the menace of illicit drugs to battling terrorism, police personnel have played a quiet yet seminal role in the nation’s development,” he added.
Acknowledging the difficult realities of the police work environment, Shah said, “The Modi government is committed to holistic welfare of police personnel.”
Speaking on the difficult conditions under which police personnel operate, Shah said, “Police forces in India are severely understaffed, with an actual strength of 144 police personnel per one lakh population as opposed to the sanctioned strength of 222.”
“Because of this shortage of manpower, most policemen work long hours and not take weekly leaves,” he added.
Speaking on the occasion, Shah recalled the battle of Hot Springs and remembered the valour of the CRPF men martyred in it. He acknowledged the service of all police personnel and hailed the history of police forces as a legacy of pride and valour.
The Police Commemoration Day owes its origin to the unflinching dedication and commendable courage of CRPF men. In 1959, when CRPF scripted a saga of valour and sacrifice in the snow-laden, inaccessible, inhospitable terrain of Hot Springs in Ladakh. A patrol party of twenty personnel of CRPF and Intelligence Bureau had gone to search for a missing reconnaissance party when it was ambushed by PLA (Chinese Army).
In spite of the sudden attack and disadvantageous tactical position, they fought valiantly against the Chinese army personnel who were in large numbers and heavily armed. In this battle, ten CRPF men were martyred in defense of the country. Since then, Police Commemoration Day is observed on 21st October every year to honour the loyalty and supreme sacrifice of police personnel for the nation.
–PS
