Union Home Minister to pay homage to martyred police personnel on Commemoration Day

He will also lay wreath and pay homage at the Police Memorial, the Ministry of Home Affairs said in a release on Friday.

The Police Commemoration Day is observed on October 21st every year.

The day commemorates sacrifices by 10 policemen while defending India's borders with China in 1959.

Indian Police personnel were responsible for manning the 2,500 mile long border of India with Tibet until the autumn of 1959.

On October 20, 1959, three reconnaissance parties were launched from Hot Springs in north eastern Ladakh in preparation for further movement of an Indian expedition, which was on its way to Lanak La.

While members of two parties returned to Hot Springs by the afternoon of that day, the third one comprising two Police Constables and a porter did not return.

All available personnel were mobilized early next morning in search of the missing personnel.

A party of about 20 police personnel led by Karam Singh, DCIO proceeded ahead on horseback, while others followed on foot in three sections.

At about mid day, Chinese Army personnel, seen on a hillock, opened fire and threw grenades at the party led by Karam Singh.

Since there was no cover, most personnel were injured. Ten of the brave police personnel attained martyrdom and seven others sustained injuries.

The seven injured were taken prisoners by the Chinese while the remaining managed to escape.

Bodies of the ten personnel were returned by the Chinese only on November 13, 1959, a full three weeks after the incident.

These bodies were cremated with full police honours at Hot Springs.

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 India to mark the memory of these gallant personnel who were killed in Ladakh and all other police personnel killed on duty during the year.

It was also decided to erect a memorial at Hot Springs. Every year, members of police forces from different parts of the country trek to Hot Springs to pay homage to those gallant martyrs.

Since 2012, the Police Commemoration Day Parade is being held at the National level at the Police Memorial, Chanakyapuri.

According to the release, since Independence, 34,418 police personnel have sacrificed their lives for safeguarding the integrity of the nation and providing security to people of this country.

During the last one year, from September 2016 to August 2017, 383 police personnel have laid down their lives.

Image: CISF@India/Twitter