Honouring fallen heroes: Chandigarh police to build memorials for cops killed in the line of duty

The Chandigarh police are all set to build memorials in schools dedicated to policemen killed in the line of duty in recent years.

This is part of a Central government initiative to honour the sacrifices made by policemen, and inspire the younger generation. As of now, the Chandigarh police are planning to build six monuments, five in Punjab and one in Himachal Pradesh. Metal busts of the slain men will be installed in their schools with plaques highlighting their supreme sacrifice.

UT policemen from Punjab who were killed on duty include inspectors Sucha Singh and Jagjit Singh, sub inspector (SI) Amarjit Singh, assistant sub inspectors (ASI) Amarjit Singh and Lalu Ram. ASI Amin Chand belonged to Himachal Pradesh.

A senior UT police official said a reminder was sent to Punjab education secretary Krishan Kumar today, seeking permission to raise the memorials in the schools of the martyred policemen. A letter in this regard was sent to him some weeks ago.

The expenditure for the memorials will be borne by the UT police.

Inspector Sucha Singh, an alumnus of the Government School in Mullanpur, Mohali, was stabbed to death by a criminal on June 8, 2013, when he was on night duty near the Sector 43 bus stand.

Amin Chand of Panial village in Kangra district, whostudied at the Government School in Lunj, was killed in a bomb blast while accompanying the then senior superintendent of police (SSP) Sumedh Singh Saini on August 29, 1991. ASI Lalu Ram was also killed in the same blast.

Inspector Jagjit Singh, who studied at the Government High School in Abohar and Government College, Sector 11, Chandigarh, was killed in a terrorist attack on the intervening night ofJuly 16 and 17in 1988.

SI Amarjit Singh was killed in a terrorist attack onFebruary 25,1992.

ASI Amarjit Singh, an alumnus of Khasla college in Garhdiwala, Hoshiarpur, was shot in the line of duty on December 8, 1989. Happy with the news, his widow, Sukhwinder Kaur said, “If it materialises it will give him his rightful place after 28 years in the police force. People, especially from his native place, can remember his sacrifice and can draw inspiration from it.” Sukhwinder has two daughters who are married and a son who is settled abroad.

Amin Chand’s son, inspector Narinder Patial, now posted in a special operational cell, said: “It’s a great initiative by the police authorities and the government. It will inspire the youth to contribute to the society and make sacrifices for their country. Moreover, putting up the memorials in schools will inculcate in children the desire to give back to society.”

The memorials, said Chandigarh director general of police Tajender Singh Luthra, “will be a symbol of inspiration for schoolchildren. The blueprint is ready and now the process of installation of the memorials will begin. We plan to complete them before October 21 this year”.

Scholarships of Rs 11,000 each are already being awarded to each topper in the martyrs’ schools, Luthra added.