Jalandhar, Oct 21 (IANS) The 63rd state-level Police Commemoration Day was observed at the Punjab Armed Police (PAP) headquarters here on Friday to pay tributes to the brave personnel who sacrificed their lives for the unity and integrity of the nation.
Paying tributes to the martyrs, Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said the Punjab Police is an exceptional force which served the country both in times of peace and disturbance.
He said 1,792 police officers had sacrificed their lives while fighting terrorism during the period from September 1981 to August 1992.
The total 1,792 martyred police officers include 1,604 officers and constables, while the remaining 188 were from the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF).
A commemoration parade was held at the Police Martyr's memorial constructed inside the PAP campus. After giving a general salute to the DGP, the names of all 261 police martyrs of this year were read out by Commandant 80th Battalion.
A two-minute silence was observed, and later, senior officials laid wreaths at the martyr's memorial.
DGP Yadav, speaking on the occasion, assured fulsome support and cooperation from the state government and Punjab Police to the families of martyrs.
"We will not let the sacrifices of our heroes go in vain. I assure you that the Punjab Police will continue to serve with full dedication and bravery to ensure peace and harmony in the border state," he said.
Post the event, the DGP met the families of martyrs and listened to them sympathetically.
Earlier, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann asked Director General of the Border Security Force (BSF) Pankaj Kumar to enhance vigil at the borders of the state for checking smuggling of drugs and weapons from across the border. The Director General had called on the Chief Minister here on July 31.
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Sukhchain Singh Gill, while addressing his weekly press conference here, said they have recovered 11.73 kg heroin, 20 kg opium, 9 kg ganja, 5.76 quintals of poppy husk, and 28,000 tablets of Pharma opioids, besides recovering Rs 20 lakh drug money after carrying out cordon and search operations in drug-affected areas.
Addressing a gathering here while handing over appointment letters to the newly recruited 4,358 constables in Punjab Police, the Chief Minister said the state government has conducted the entire recruitment process in a transparent and fair manner.
Amid heightened security to enter Delhi, traffic snarls were reported at the Ghaziabad, Chilla, Singhu, Faridabad and Tikri borders. Delhi Police have put barricades at all these border points and every vehicle entering the national capital city are being checked.
The accident took place late on Sunday night when Adil, 25, his pregnant wife Asma, 24, Mashkoor, 26, his wife Rukhsar, 27, Rihanna, 38, and Sultana, 35, were returning home in Mirzapur village. The van was completely damaged in the collision.
On the morning of August 24, the Prime Minister will inaugurate Amrita Hospital in Faridabad, Haryana. Thereafter, the Prime Minister will travel to Mohali and dedicate 'Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Centre' to the nation, in Mullanpur, Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar District (Mohali) at around 2:15 p.m.
