Among Heroes: India celebrates Police Commemoration Day

FACTS

India celebrated National Police Commemoration Day on Wednesday for the country’s police personnel who lost their lives in the line of service.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah paid tribute to all police personnel on the occasion of Police Commemoration Day 2020 at the National Police Memorial in New Delhi.

Why is Police Commemoration Day celebrated?

Police Commemoration Day is observed on October 21 every year to remember and honour the brave policemen, who laid down their lives in the line of duty.

The History behind Police Commemoration Day

India began celebrating the National Police Commemoration Day in commemoration of twenty police officers, who bravely defended the border from Chinese attack in 1959.

In the same year, on October 21, the Chinese troops opened fired at the Indian soldiers in Ladakh. The altercation resulted in the death of ten Indian soldiers, while seven were taken as prisoners by the Chinese troops.

More than a month later, on 28 November 1959, Chinese troops handed over the dead bodies of the martyred policemen.

Since that day, 21 October has been observed as Police Commemoration Day in honour of the martyrs.