Police Commemoration Day: Maharashtra police pays tributes to martyred cops

Rich tributes were paid here today on the Police Commemoration Day to policemen who sacrificed their lives in the line of duty. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Governor C Vidyasagar Rao, Director General of Police (DGP) Praveen Dixit, Mumbai Police Commissioner Ahmad Javed, city Mayor Snehal Ambekar were among others who attended the event.

"We would not allow their sacrifice to go without notice. Committed to the cause for which they laid down their lives!" DGP Dixit later told PTI.

During the commemoration ceremony, names of over 400 policemen, including 10 from Maharashtra, were read out who sacrificed their lives across the country while on duty.

"The names of police martyrs of state, police and paramilitary forces were read out, to acknowledge with pride the supreme sacrifices made by them," Mumbai Police spokesman Dhananjay Kulkarni said. He also said that names of those policemen who showed extra-ordinary dedication towards their duty, would be shortlisted and sent for Gallantry medals.

Inspector Manohar Gawale supervised the parade held at Naigaon police headquarters here in which 100 security personnel of Mumbai Police, railway police and SRPF took part.

The history of commemoration day traces back to October 21, 1959, when a patrol party of CRPF, led by Sub-Inspector Karam Singh, was ambushed by the Chinese forces at Hot Springs Laddakh and 10 jawans were killed. It is the commemoration of the bravery and resultant sacrifice of jawans fighting at 16,000 ft altitude in extremely cold conditions and against all odds.

The Annual Conference of Inspectors General of Police of States and Union Territories held in January 1960 decided that October 21 would henceforth be observed as Commemoration Day in all Police Lines throughout the country to mark the memory of those martyred policemen killed in Ladakh and all other police personnel killed on duty during the year.