Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah will pay homage to martyrs on Police Commemoration Day at the National Police Memorial in New Delhi on Wednesday, October 21.
Home Minister to Flag Off Motorcycle Rally Against Drugs
The Home Minister will flag off a motorcycle rally involving around 90 police riders from various States and Union Territories, including Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi. Riders from the Central Armed Police Forces (CRPF, CISF, BSF, SSB, ITBP and NSG) and Central Police Organisations, including the RPF, NDRF and NIA, will also participate. The rally is part of a nationwide campaign themed ‘Fight Against Drugs’, in which police riders from all States and Union Territories and Central Forces will proceed to Ekta Nagar, Gujarat, to participate in the Ekta Parade on October 31.
National Police Memorial Commemorates Sacrifice of Police Personnel
On October 21, 1959, ten police personnel laid down their lives in an ambush by heavily armed Chinese troops at Hot Springs in Ladakh. Since then, October 21 has been observed as Police Commemoration Day every year. Recognising the sacrifices of police personnel and their vital role in safeguarding national security and integrity, Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated the National Police Memorial (NPM) in Chanakyapuri, New Delhi, to the nation on Police Commemoration Day in 2018.
The Memorial instils a sense of national identity, pride, unity of purpose, shared history and destiny among police forces, while reinforcing their commitment to protecting the nation, even at the cost of their lives. It comprises a Central Sculpture, the ‘Wall of Valour’ and a museum. The 30-foot-high granite monolith cenotaph represents the strength, resilience and selfless service of police personnel. The Wall of Valour, bearing the names of martyrs, honours the bravery and sacrifice of police personnel who have laid down their lives in the line of duty since Independence, according to a press release issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Commemorative Events to Be Held Across the Country
As in previous years, Police Commemoration Day will be observed across the country on October 21 to pay tribute to police martyrs. The main function will be held at the National Police Memorial in New Delhi, featuring a joint parade of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and Delhi Police.
As part of the commemorations, CAPFs and Central Police Organisations (CPOs) will organise events at the National Police Memorial from October 22 to 30. These will include visits by martyrs’ family members, police band displays, motorcycle rallies, the Run for Martyrs, blood donation camps, essay and painting competitions for children, and screenings of films showcasing the sacrifice, valour and service of police personnel. Similar programmes will be organised by police forces across the country during this period, the press release added.
-PIB inputs
