National Police Commemoration Day: PM Modi inaugurates memorial for khaki forces

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday morning inaugurated a memorial and a museum dedicated to the police of the country.

During the event held to mark the National Police Commemoration Day, a 30-feet-tall and 238-tonne heavy black granite central sculpture honouring the martyred troopers, a museum and a wall of valour bearing the names of over 34,800 martyred personnel were unveiled.

While addressing the gathering, PM Modi got choked with emotion and expressed his gratitude towards the police personnel, paramilitary forces and the National Disaster Relief Forces (NDRF) for their work.

“It is the result of your alertness that the elements which create unrest are unsuccessful in their attempts. The attempts to create fear and insecurity in the nation were foiled by you. The peace prevalent in the nation is possible only due to your services,” he added.

The Prime Minister also questioned to the opposition. He asked, “Why did this memorial take 70 years of independence to come into existence?

PM Modi also commemorated the forces deputed in in Jammu and Kashmir and Naxal affected areas. “If today more youth is getting connected with the mainstream then it is because of the security forces deployed there. The forces play a crucial role in development of the Northeast states,” he added.

Meanwhile, CRPF Director General RR Bhatnagar said though the day is observed to pay homage to the 10 policemen killed in an ambush by Chinese troops in 1959 in Ladakh, every personnel who “laid down their lives protecting India’s unity and integrity are also remembered on the occasion.”

He also said that over 3.25-lakh personnel strong central police force has been the recipient of the maximum gallantry awards for action in Naxal-hit and other troubled areas.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh and senior BJP leader LK Advani also paid tributes to the policemen killed in an ambush by Chinese troops in 1959 in Ladakh’s Hot Spring area.

Notably, between September 2017 and October this year, a total of 414 personnel have died in the line of duty.

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