NEW DELHI: Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday paid tribute to the police personnel who lost their lives in the line of duty, at the National Police Memorial in the national capital on Police Commemoration Day 2020.
The home minister addressed a joint column of police and Central Armed Police Forces jawans and officers at the National Police Memorial in Chanakyapuri today.
He lauded the police personnel for ensuring internal and border security in the country with their vigilance. He also remembered the 343 personnel who were killed due to Covid-19 and said these personnel continued on duty to help people, donate blood and plasma.
"35,398 police personnel have sacrificed their lives so far while securing the country. This year alone 264 police personnel laid down their lives in the line of duty. Also, 343 police personnel died while fighting Covid-19 on the frontline," Shah said
The government is undertaking a comprehensive modernisation programme to prepare the police and paramilitary forces of the country for newer challenges of terrorism, cyber crime and border security, Shah added.
"The work of police is witnessing new challenges and new dimensions in the areas of terrorism, fake currency, narcotics control, cyber crime, arms smuggling, human trafficking. It is a challenge to prepare the police forces for the new dimensions that have emerged in the last 2-3 decades," Shah said.
"We have prepared a comprehensive modernisation programme for the police and I am hopeful that in the coming days the Modi government will prepare them to meet these challenges," he said.
He said the government is bringing in technology to make the country's borders "impregnable" and detailed preparations are being made.
The technology and promptness of troops will go hand-in-hand and "we will be able to better secure our borders", he said.
Shah also said that the government was "going to do many things" so that the deficiency in availability of police personnel per one lakh population is addressed.
He added "many changes" will soon be visible in the context of police housing satisfaction ratio and training and that his ministry was working on these issues.
A ceremonial guard of honour by a joint squad of the CAPFs was presented during the event that was attended by Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy, Union home secretary Ajay Bhalla, Director of the Intelligence Bureau Arvind Kumar and chiefs of various CAPFs.
(With inputs from agencies)