NEW DELHI: Every 46 hours, a police personnel was killed last year — a total of 191 lives lost in 365 days in the line of duty, said Tapan Deka, Director of the Intelligence Bureau (IB), on Tuesday while paying homage on Police Commemoration Day.
Since independence, a total of 36,684 police personnel have lost their lives in the line of duty, he added.
Deka was speaking after paying homage to the police officials killed in the line of duty on Police Commemoration Day, at the National Police Memorial in Delhi.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who was also present at the occasion, paid homage to the police officials who had lost their lives. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, through social media platform X, conveyed his message to the police personnel.
“On Police Commemoration Day, we salute the courage of our police personnel and recall the supreme sacrifice by them in the line of duty. Their steadfast dedication keeps our nation and people safe. Their bravery and commitment in times of crisis and in moments of need are appreciable.”
The IB chief said, “On this day, October 21, 1959, 10 CRPF personnel, led by Karam Singh, DCIO of the Intelligence Bureau, laid down their lives while guarding the India-China border, facing an armed Chinese contingent..." "Since then, we have celebrated this day every year as Police Commemoration Day.”
He added that on this day, various programmes are organised in state capitals, districts, and even at the police station level to pay tribute to all departed colleagues.
“At the national level, a joint memorial parade is held here today by the BSF, CISF, CRPF, ITBP, SSB, NSG, Assam Rifles, RPF, NDRF, and Delhi Police,” he said.
IPS officer Tapan Deka, from the 1988 batch, said that the Prime Minister, during the Directors General of Police Conference in 2019, had suggested that several commemorative events be organised by various central forces at the National Police Memorial from October 22 to 30, with the participation of families of departed colleagues.