Martyrs remembered on Police Commemoration Day in Tamil Nadu

264 police personnel have laid down their lives in the line of duty, TN Director General of Police C. Sylendra Babu said; the day is marked on October 21 every year, across the country

The Director General of Police (DGP) and head of the police force, C. Sylendra Babu, senior police officers and heads of defence establishments as well as retired police officers paid tribute to police personnel who had died in the line of duty, on the occasion of Police Commemoration Day, on Friday

Police Commemoration Day is observed on October 21 every year, to pay tribute to the 10 policemen who were killed by Chinese troops in an ambush at the Hot Springs area near Ladakh on October 21, 1959.

At the Martyr’s column at the Police Headquarters, Mr. Sylendra Babu placed a wreath and paid his respects to the personnel.

He was followed by M.K. Narayanan, former Governor of West Bengal and former National Security Adviser; Rear Admiral S. Venkat Raman, Flag Officer Commanding T.N. and Puducherry Naval Area; Anand Prakash Badola, Inspector General, Headquarters, Coast Guard Region (East) and DGP-level officers including Greater Chennai City Police Commissioner Shankar Jiwal and Chennai District Collector S. Amirtha Jothi, and former DGPs also placed wreaths and paid their respects. Serving officers also participated in the programme.

As many as 264 personnel, have laid down their lives leaving their grieving families behind in order to secure and ensure the twin goals of peace and freedom, said the DGP reading out the names of the personnel who had died. Police officers and Armed Reserve Police personnel saluted the sacrifices of these personnel. Armed Reserve Police personnel opened fire three times in the air as a mark of respect to their colleagues. The gathering also observed a two-minute silence.

Recalling the sacrifices of police personnel, Mr. Sylendra Babu said, “As we stand before the Martyr’s memorial, there is a line that comes to mind: 'For Your Tomorrow we gave our today’. This line depicts the essence of spirit of sacrifices embedded in any uniformed force. And true to this, countless are the police personnel who, in the line of duty, sacrifice their lives, year after year.

Many others face deadly dangers almost daily while going about their arduous duties. This is the price: dangers and death, we, the police constabulary and officers have to pay, so that society can live in peace and prosper in abundance. This is the price, we, the police have to pay, so that the freedom of individuals as enshrined in our constitution is not jeopardized.”