Visakhapatnam police pay tributes to martyrs on Police Commemoration Day

The Visakhapatnam Police observed Police Commemoration Day at the Police Martyrs’ Memorial on the Beach Road on Wednesday, paying rich tributes to police personnel who sacrificed their lives in the line of duty.

Commissioner of Police, Shankhabrata Bagchi, who attended the programme as the chief guest. He received the guard of honour and paid tributes to the martyrs.

Addressing the gathering, Mr Bagchi said that more than 35,000 police personnel had laid down their lives for the nation since 1961, while 154 personnel across the country, including one from Andhra Pradesh, had died in the line of duty during the past year.

Mr. Bagchi said that Police Commemoration Day was observed every year on October 21 to honour the personnel who had made the supreme sacrifice in the service of the nation and to remember their contribution to national security and public safety.

Recalling the events of October 21, 1959, he said that 10 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed while confronting Chinese forces at Ladakh. Their courage and sacrifice had become the reason for observing Police Commemoration Day every year, he said.

Referring to the challenges faced by the police in the present-day environment, Dr. Bagchi said the nature of crime was changing rapidly, requiring personnel to improve their technological capabilities and adopt modern tools to effectively tackle cybercrime, drug trafficking and financial fraud.

He shared the several initiatives being implemented by Visakhapatnam City Police, including friendly policing, cybercrime prevention measures, the Shakti App for women's safety and programmes for the protection of senior citizens, and added that they were helping in strengthening public confidence in the police.

Calling upon police personnel to uphold the highest standards of service, the Commissioner urged them to prevent violence, maintain law and order and remain accessible to the public. He said the sacrifices of the martyrs should inspire the force to work with greater dedication towards national security and public welfare.

Earlier, a contingent of the Shaheed Pustak Toli marched into the venue and presented a book containing the details of police personnel and members of other security forces who had died in the line of duty across the country during the preceding year.

Floral tributes were paid at the Police Martyrs’ Memorial, and a two-minute silence was observed in honour of the personnel who had laid down their lives in the service of the nation.

District Collector Abhishikt Kishore, Visakhapatnam Port Authority officials, Navy officials, senior police officers, other government officials, serving and retired police personnel, members of police families, and others were present.