Nagpur: The Nagpur City Police on Tuesday observed ‘Police Commemoration Day’ at the Police Headquarters to pay homage to the brave police personnel who laid down their lives in the line of duty. The ceremony, held at 8 a.m., was attended by several senior police officials, dignitaries, retired officers, and citizens.
Guardian Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule graced the occasion as the Chief Guest, alongside former Police Commissioner Bhushan Kumar Upadhyay and former Assistant Commissioner of Police Ramesh Mehta.
Also present were Police Commissioner Ravindra Kumar Singhal, Joint Commissioner of Police Navinchandra Reddy, Inspector General of Police (Nagpur Range & Anti-Naxal Operations) Sandeep Patil, Deputy Inspector General Ankit Goyal, Additional Commissioners Shivajirao Rathod (South) and Rajendra Dabhade (North), Superintendent of Police (Rural) Harsh Poddar, SP (Railways) Mangesh Shinde, SP (Prisons) Vaibhav Age, and several Deputy Commissioners including Lohit Matani, Shashikant Satav, Rahul Makanikar, Singa Reddy Rishikesh Reddy, Nityanand Jha, Rashmita Rao, Dr. Sandeep Pakhale, and Mahek Swami.
Retired officers, police staff, and civilians offered floral tributes at the Police Martyrs’ Memorial, remembering the sacrifices made by police personnel for the safety of the nation.
A total of four contingents comprising 120 jawans from Nagpur City Police, Nagpur Rural Police, Railway Police, and State Reserve Police Force Group 4, along with the band unit, participated in the ceremonial salute. The parade was commanded by Reserve Police Inspector Vinod Tiwari, while Assistant Commissioner of Police Narendra Hivare anchored the proceedings. ACPs Rohit Ohal and Shivprasad Parve read out the names of 191 police officers and personnel across India who sacrificed their lives in the past year.
The Story Behind Police Commemoration Day:
October 21 holds a special place in India’s police history. It marks the remembrance of ten Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel who were martyred on October 21, 1959, at Hot Springs, Ladakh, during a skirmish with Chinese troops.
Under the leadership of Sub-Inspector Karam Singh, a patrol team of ten CRPF personnel was ambushed while conducting reconnaissance near the India-China border. Despite being outnumbered and outgunned, the Indian team fought valiantly to their last breath, defending the nation’s sovereignty at an altitude of 18,000 feet, where temperatures plunged to -41°C.
The brave martyrs — Dharam Singh, Puran Singh, Narbu Lamba, Begrajmal, Makhanlal, Eman Singh, Tsering Bohu Narbu, Hangjit Subba, and Shivanath Pratap — laid down their lives for the nation. Their bodies were later returned by China on November 13, 1959, and accorded full state honors the next day at Hot Springs.
A memorial was erected at the site with the immortal inscription:
“When you go home, tell them of us and say, for their tomorrow, we gave our today.”
Since then, October 21 is observed nationwide as ‘Police Commemoration Day’, paying homage to all police personnel who have made the supreme sacrifice in service of the country. Across India, police units mark the occasion with gun salutes, two-minute silence, and the reading of names of martyrs.
Nagpur Joins the Nation in Honoring Fallen Heroes:
The Nagpur Police Headquarters echoed with solemn respect and patriotism as floral tributes were offered and gun salutes fired in memory of the martyrs. Officers and citizens alike bowed their heads in silence, reaffirming their commitment to duty and the values of courage and sacrifice that the day stands for.
