Nagaland police observe commemoration day

Our Correspondent

Kohima, Oct. 21 (EMN): Nagaland Police today joined the rest of the country in observing Police Commemoration Day at New Police Reserve in Phesama, Kohima, by paying rich tributes to police personnel who have sacrificed their lives in the line of duty during the past one year.

On the occasion, Director General of Police (DGP) Nagaland, T John Longkumer, who took the salute at the commemorative parade, highlighted in brief the significance of the day. He said Oct. 21 every year is observed as Police Commemoration Day across the country as a mark of respect to the brave police personnel who were killed on duty.

He said the history of the day dates back to Oct. 21, 1959, when a patrol party of the CRPF and Intelligence Bureau personnel, led by SI Karam Singh, was ambushed by the Chinese forces at Hot Springs in Ladakh. During the incident, 10 personnel were killed and seven held captive.

Longkumer narrated that the bodies of the ten personnel were returned by the Chinese five weeks later on Nov. 28, 1959 and were cremated with full police honours at Hot Springs. He highlighted that the following year, in 1960, at the annual conference of Inspectors General of Police of states and union territories, it was decided that Oct. 21 would be observed as Commemoration Day every year throughout the country to mark the memory of the gallant men who were killed in Ladakh and all other police personnel killed on duty during the year.

Longkumer said that the period from Sept. 1, 2017 till Aug. 31, 2018, a total of 429 police personnel across the country have laid down their lives while performing their duties. No personnel from Nagaland police died while on duty during this period, it was informed.

During the commemorative ceremony, the AIGP (Ops.) N Chumdemo Jami read out the roll of honour for the 429 police personnel. Later, it was placed on the cenotaph at the tennis court in New Police Reserve, Kohima.

Deputy Chief Minister and minister in-charge for Home, Y Patton who was also present on the occasion joined the DGP and his subordinates in laying wreaths at the cenotaph as a mark of honour to the fallen police personnel.