Nagpur: A solemn tribute was paid to police personnel who sacrificed their lives in the service of the nation as Nagpur observed Police Commemoration Day at the Martyrs’ Memorial at the City Police Headquarters on Wednesday. Senior judicial and police officials, retired officers, serving personnel and citizens gathered to honour the courage, dedication and supreme sacrifice of those who died protecting the country and its people.
The ceremony was organised jointly by the Nagpur City Police Commissionerate and other police units in the city. Justice Anil Kilor, Administrative Judge of the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court, attended as the chief guest, alongside Police Commissioner Vishwas Nangre Patil, Joint Commissioner of Police Navinchandra Reddy and other senior officials.
The names of 153 police officers and personnel who lost their lives in the line of duty across the country were read out during the ceremony. A total of 120 personnel representing the Nagpur City Police, Nagpur Rural Police, Railway Police and State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) Group No. 4 participated in the ceremonial parade and offered a salute to the martyrs. The police band also formed part of the solemn proceedings.
The gathering paid floral tributes at the memorial, reaffirming its gratitude to the men and women in uniform whose commitment to public safety often demands extraordinary courage and, in the most tragic circumstances, the ultimate sacrifice.
Remembering the Hot Springs tragedy of 1959
Police Commemoration Day is observed every year on October 21 in memory of the policemen who laid down their lives during a confrontation with Chinese troops at Hot Springs in Ladakh in 1959.
On October 21 that year, a 10-member Indian police patrol led by CRPF Sub-Inspector Karam Singh was on duty in the remote, high-altitude region when it encountered hostile Chinese troops. The difficult terrain, extreme cold and challenging conditions made patrolling particularly arduous.
The patrol came under fire from automatic weapons. Despite facing a heavily armed adversary, the Indian personnel displayed exceptional courage in defending their position. Ten members of the patrol made the supreme sacrifice, turning the incident into an enduring symbol of duty, bravery and devotion to the nation.
The fallen personnel included Dharam Singh, Puran Singh, Narbu Lamba, Beg Raj Mal, Makhan Lal, Iman Singh, Teshring Bokhu, Narbu, Hangjeet Subba and Shiv Nath Pratap.
Their mortal remains were handed over to India, and the martyrs were cremated with full state honours at Hot Springs on November 14, 1959. A memorial was subsequently erected at the site in their honour.
Its inscription captures the meaning of their sacrifice in a few unforgettable words: “When you go home tell them of us for their tomorrow, we give up our today.”
The message remains a powerful reminder that the safety and security enjoyed by citizens are sustained by the dedication of personnel who place their duty above their own lives.
Senior judicial and police officials attend ceremony
Besides Justice Kilor and Police Commissioner Nangre Patil, the ceremony was attended by Special Inspector General of Police, SRPF, Nisar Tamboli, and Inspector General of Police, Nagpur Range, Sandeep Patil.
Additional Commissioners of Police Vinita Sahu, Vasant Pardeshi and Rajendra Dabhade were among the senior officers present. Other participants included Nagpur Rural Superintendent of Police Harssh Poddar, Highway Police Superintendent Lohit Matani, SRPF Group No. 4 Commandant Bachchan Singh, Railway Police Superintendent Mangesh Popat Shinde, Prison Police Superintendents Vaibhav Aage and Sunil Sawant of the Wireless and Signals Department.
Deputy Commissioners of Police Annapurna Singh, Rashmita Rao, Nityanand Jha, Mahek Swami, Aditya Mirkhelkar, Ramesh Dhumal, Dr Sandeep Pakhale and Rahul Makanikar also attended the programme.
Additional Superintendent of Police Anil Mhaske of Nagpur Rural and Additional Superintendent of Police Deepa Aage of the Prisons Department, along with assistant commissioners, senior police inspectors from various police stations, retired officers, serving personnel and members of the public, joined the tribute.
120 personnel participate in ceremonial parade
The ceremonial parade brought together four contingents, one each from the Nagpur City Police, Nagpur Rural Police, Railway Police and SRPF Group No. 4. Together, 120 personnel offered a solemn salute to those who had died in the line of duty.
Reserve Police Inspector Vinod Tiwari of the Nagpur City Police Headquarters led the ceremonial parade, while Assistant Commissioner of Police Narendra Hivare conducted the proceedings.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Shivprasad Parve and Police Inspector Arun Kshirsagar read out the names of the 153 police officers and personnel who had made the supreme sacrifice while discharging their duties across the country.
Following the roll call, the chief guest, senior officers, police personnel and citizens laid wreaths and flowers at the Martyrs’ Memorial. The atmosphere remained solemn as the gathering remembered the fallen personnel and acknowledged the burden borne by their families.
A reminder of the risks behind the uniform
Police Commemoration Day is more than an annual ceremonial observance. It recognises the risks police personnel face while confronting criminals, preventing crime, maintaining law and order, responding to emergencies and protecting citizens in difficult and unpredictable circumstances.
Police officers and constables often work long hours, remain away from their families and serve in challenging conditions. For some, a routine assignment becomes their final duty. Their loss leaves families with an irreplaceable void, while their sacrifice becomes part of the collective memory of the force and the nation.
The 153 personnel remembered this year represent the human cost of maintaining public safety and enforcing the law. Their sacrifice also underlines the responsibility of society to respect the service of police personnel and extend support and compassion to the families of those who never returned home.
The ceremony at Nagpur Police Headquarters concluded with a renewed commitment to uphold the values exemplified by the martyrs: courage, discipline, integrity and unwavering devotion to duty.
From the 10 personnel who fell at Hot Springs in 1959 to those who have sacrificed their lives in the line of duty in recent times, their legacy continues to inspire the police force and the nation.
Their courage remains immortal, and their sacrifice will never be forgotten.
