On Police Commemoration Day on Sunday, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh Governor E.S. L. Narasimhan paid rich tributes to policemen who lost their lives in the line of duty, and called for citizens to better understand their sacrifice.
Mr. Narasimhan was speaking at Police Martyr’s Memorial at Goshamahal.
“This is the day of remembrance of those great and selfless souls who put their lives in the line of fire so that we may live in peace. This is the day of remembrance of so many valiant police personnel who sacrificed their today, leaving a great void in their families, for our tomorrow. Let us recall their glorious sacrifice and take forward their spirit and the ideals for which they sacrificed their invaluable lives,” he said.
Telangana DGP M. Mahender Reddy said while 414 police personnel laid down their lives across the country, two from Telangana – Bopunapally Sushil, a Greyhounds commando, and R. Lakapati, an Octopus commando – were martyred. Mr. Reddy paid homage to the police martyrs.
Paying homage
The Railway Protection Force (RPF) Training Centre, Moula Ali, also observed the occasion by paying homage to 414 martyrs.
The list of martyrs include 25 officers and staff of RPF and RPSF apart from State police and Central Police Organisations like BSF, CRPF, CISF, etc.
IG-RPF Sanjay Sankrityaya, director, RPF Training Centre; IG A.N. Sinha; and Principal Chief Security Commissioner of RPF and IG G.M. Eswara Rao, along with other officers, offered floral tributes to the martyrs at Sahid Smarak. RPF band played Last Post, Abide with Me and Rouse tunes while the staff fired in the air as a mark of respect to the martyrs, a press note said.
Meanwhile, caretaker Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao paid rich tributes to police martyrs on Sunday.
Recalling the services rendered by them, the caretaker Chief Minister said people would never forget the supreme sacrifices of the martyrs for protecting the lives and properties.
‘Re-dedicate yourself’
The police force should re-dedicate itself to the ideals of the martyrs in maintaining peace, order and harmony.
He reiterated that the State government gave highest priority to the welfare of the members of the martyred families, according to an official release.