Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday presented the prestigious President’s Colour to the Uttarakhand Police, making it the 16th police force in the country to receive the highest honour. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and several other dignitaries were present at the investiture ceremony.
Congratulating the force on the recognition, HM Shah described the occasion as a moment of immense pride for serving and retired personnel who have upheld the Uttarakhand Police motto, “Karm Satyam Shauryam”, as the foundation of their professional and personal lives. He said the honour reflected the dedication, discipline, valour and commitment of its personnel over the past 25 years since the formation of the state.
HM Shah dedicated the recognition to the 206 Uttarakhand Police personnel who laid down their lives in the line of duty. Paying tribute to the martyrs, he said their sacrifice, together with the professionalism and unwavering commitment of serving personnel, had enabled the force to earn this distinction.
The Home Minister highlighted the challenging responsibilities shouldered by the Uttarakhand Police, which has grown from a strength of around 13,000 personnel to more than 26,000. He said the force had consistently responded to natural disasters, including forest fires, landslides and emergencies involving workers trapped in tunnels.
He particularly praised the police personnel for their role in rescuing workers trapped in the Silkyara tunnel and responding to disasters in Dharali, Tharali, Syanchatti and Maldevta. The force has also efficiently managed the demands of a growing population and the continuous movement of lakhs of pilgrims and tourists every month.
HM Shah said that in remote areas, personnel of either the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) or Uttarakhand Police are often the first to reach people in distress. Their reliability and prompt response, he added, have strengthened public confidence and encouraged devotees from across the country to visit the state.
Police responsibility in pilgrimage and tourism management
Describing Uttarakhand as a major spiritual and tourism destination, HM Shah said the state’s snow-covered peaks, lakes, forests and religious sites attract visitors from across the world. He noted that the Uttarakhand Police carries the important responsibility of ensuring the safety of pilgrims visiting the Kumbh Mela, the annual Char Dham Yatra, Hemkund Sahib and Kainchi Dham.
The Home Minister said he had not heard complaints about the Uttarakhand Police from pilgrims visiting the state from his home state, describing this as a matter of pride for the force.
HM Shah stressed that the police would have an increasingly important role as Uttarakhand seeks to attract more tourists and industrial investment. He said improved security would be essential to encourage visitors and create an environment in which industries could invest and generate employment opportunities for local youth.
Focus on speedy justice under new criminal laws
The Home Minister praised Uttarakhand for its efforts to implement the Naveen Nyaya Sanhitas, or the new criminal laws, and said the state had made significant progress in strengthening its criminal justice system.
He expressed confidence that the Uttarakhand Police would ensure that cases registered through FIRs after May 2027 result in convictions within three years. This, he said, would help residents of Devbhoomi move away from prolonged legal proceedings and repeated court hearings.
HM Shah said the police had restructured its administrative framework, integrated forensic science into investigations and strengthened computerisation. With a score of 93.46 on the CCTNS/ICJS 2.0 Dashboard, Uttarakhand Police had secured the top position nationally, he said.
He added that police stations, jails, courts, forensic science laboratories and prosecution agencies had been electronically connected to improve coordination and facilitate faster delivery of justice.
Three-year target to make Uttarakhand drug-free
HM Shah said that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, India had been freed from Naxalism through the coordinated efforts of state police forces and central forces, including the CRPF, ITBP, BSF and SSB. Referring to his announcement in Parliament on March 30, 2026, that the country was Naxal-free, he said the achievement was a matter of satisfaction but should not lead to complacency.
He identified drug trafficking as another major challenge and said the government’s resolve was to make India completely drug-free by December 31, 2029, while bringing those involved in the drug trade to justice.
Praising Uttarakhand Police for its work against narcotics and cybercrime, HM Shah said the state would also fulfil the target of making Devbhoomi drug-free within the next three years.
Vibrant Villages Programme to address migration
HM Shah also highlighted the problem of migration from remote mountain and border villages. He said the Vibrant Villages Programme, launched by the Narendra Modi government, was aimed at addressing the issue by improving conditions in border settlements.
He said Uttarakhand Police was working alongside the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) to implement the programme. As a result of these efforts, people had started returning to and resettling in at least 50 villages, instead of continuing to migrate, he added.
Uttarakhand Police scales Mount Everest
HM Shah noted that Uttarakhand Police had become the first state police force in the country to successfully scale Mount Everest. He also praised the force for winning 37 medals at the World Police and Fire Games.
Calling upon the personnel to set higher targets, he urged the force to top the medal tally and break its previous records at the next edition of the games, scheduled to be held in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
Congratulating Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on the state’s progress, HM Shah said Uttarakhand was advancing rapidly, with tourist arrivals and industrial investment increasing. He said the growth of the state also brought greater responsibility for the police to maintain law and order and ensure the safety of residents, visitors and investors.
The Home Minister expressed confidence that the President’s Colour would boost the morale of Uttarakhand Police and provide fresh momentum to its commitment to public service. He also extended greetings to people across the country, particularly residents of Uttarakhand, on the occasions of Dhanteras and Diwali.
(PIB)
