Nagpur: The Nagpur City Police on Tuesday, October 21, observed Police Commemoration Day at the Police Headquarters to pay heartfelt tributes to police personnel who laid down their lives in the line of duty. The solemn ceremony commemorated the valour of ten Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawans who were martyred at Hot Springs in Ladakh on October 21, 1959, following a deadly encounter with Chinese troops near the India-China border.
The 1959 Hot Springs incident
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Ladakh, a remote and high-altitude district in India’s northern frontier adjoining China, houses the strategic town of Leh. Located near the McMahon Line and Kargil sector at an altitude of around 16,000 feet, Leh experiences extreme cold, with temperatures dropping as low as minus 41°C.
On October 21, 1959, a ten-member CRPF patrol team led by Sub-Inspector Karan Singh was deployed for border surveillance in the Hot Springs area, about 18,000 feet above sea level. The team, while patrolling five miles from the Hot Springs post, noticed suspicious movement across the border. Acting swiftly, SI Karan Singh instructed his men to take cover. Moments later, Chinese troops opened fire using automatic weapons.
Despite being heavily outnumbered and short on ammunition, the Indian policemen retaliated bravely, engaging the enemy in a fierce gun battle. The soldiers fought until their last breath, displaying unparalleled courage and sacrifice in defending India’s sovereignty. The martyrs included Dharam Singh, Puran Singh, Narbu Lamba, Begrajmal, Makhanlal, Eman Singh, Teshiring Bokhu Narbu, Hangjeet Subba, and Shivanath Pratap.
The site of the encounter turned crimson with the blood of India’s bravehearts. The Chinese forces eventually withdrew, carrying the bodies of the ten Indian policemen. After international condemnation, China returned the mutilated bodies on November 13, 1959. The following day, November 14, 1959, the martyrs were laid to rest with full state honours at Hot Springs.
A memorial was later erected at the site, funded entirely by voluntary contributions from police personnel across India. The memorial bears the poignant inscription:
“When you go home, tell them of us — for their tomorrow, we gave up our today.”
To honour the supreme sacrifice of these brave policemen, October 21 is observed every year as Police Commemoration Day across India. On this day, the names of police personnel who have laid down their lives in the line of duty during the past year are read out, followed by a two-minute silence and a ceremonial gun salute.
This year, a total of 191 police officers and personnel from across India were remembered for sacrificing their lives while serving the nation.
Tribute ceremony in Nagpur
The commemoration event in Nagpur was jointly organized by the Nagpur City Police Commissionerate and other police units. The ceremony began at 8:00 am at the Nagpur Police Headquarters.
Guardian Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule graced the event as the Chief Guest, along with former Police Commissioner Bhushan Kumar Upadhyay and former Assistant Commissioner of Police Ramesh Mehta.
Prominent officers present included Commissioner of Police Ravinderkumar Singal, Additional Commissioners of Police Shivaji Rathod (South Region) and Rajendra Dabhade (North Region), Inspector General of Police (Nagpur Range) and Anti-Naxal Operations Sandeep Patil, Deputy Inspector General Ankit Goyal, Superintendent of Police (Nagpur Rural) Harsh Poddar, Superintendent of Police (Railways) Mangesh Popat Shinde, Superintendent of Police (Prisons) Vaibhav Age, and several Deputy Commissioners of Police, including Lohit Matani, Shashikant Satav, Rahul Makanikar, Singa Reddy, Rishikesh Reddy, Nityanand Jha, Rashmita Rao, Dr. Sandeep Pakhale, and Mahek Swami.
The event witnessed the participation of Assistant Commissioners of Police, Senior Police Inspectors of all police stations, retired officers, police staff, and citizens who offered floral tributes at the Martyrs’ Memorial.
A combined Guard of Honour was presented by contingents from Nagpur City Police, Nagpur Rural Police, Railway Police, and State Reserve Police Force (Group No. 4), comprising 120 personnel and a ceremonial band. The parade was conducted under the supervision of Reserve Police Inspector Vinod Tiwari, while the event was anchored by Assistant Commissioner of Police Narendra Hivare.
Assistant Commissioners Rohit Ohal and Shivprasad Parwe solemnly read out the names of the 191 martyrs.
A day of solemn pride
The ceremony concluded with the firing of ceremonial shots in the air, a two-minute silence, and a salute to the martyrs, symbolizing the nation’s eternal gratitude to the brave men and women who laid down their lives in the line of duty.
