NEW DELHI: As many as 188 policemen laid down their lives in the line of duty while maintaining law and order in the past one year, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Saturday.
He asserted that the country will never forget the sacrifice of the martyrs' families.
"In the last one year, from September 1, 2022 to August 31, 2023, 188 policemen have made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty to ensure security and maintenance of law and order in the country," he said after paying homage to the personnel on Police Commemoration Day at the National Police Memorial here.
The home minister said of all the personnel serving the country, policemen have the toughest job - be it day or night, winter or summer, festival or regular day, policemen do not get a chance to celebrate festivals with their families.
He said the country's police forces spend the golden years of their lives away from their families and many of them guarding the country's long land border and protecting the country through their bravery and sacrifices.
Paying tributes to 36,250 police personnel, who laid down their lives while serving the nation since independence, Shah said the police memorial is not merely symbolic but it is a recognition of the sacrifice and dedication of the police personnel towards nation building.
He said the government is fully committed towards the welfare of police personnel and their family members.
The government is dedicated to the welfare of all personnel and is concerned for their safety, he said.
On October 21, 1959, 10 policemen died in the line of duty during an ambush laid by heavily armed Chinese troops at the Hot Springs in Ladakh.
Since then, every year October 21 is observed to honour these martyrs and all other police personnel who died in the line of duty.