Prime Minister Narendra Modi will dedicate the National Police Memorial (NPM) to the nation on Sunday. October 21 is observed as the Police Commemoration Day every year in memory of the policemen killed at Hot Springs in Ladakh by the Chinese troops on this date in 1959.
The NPM has been built in recognition of the supreme sacrifice made by police personnel since independence. The memorial has been erected on 6.12 acres of land in Chanakyapuri, at the northern end of Shanti Path. This Police Memorial represents all State/UT Police Forces and Central Police Organisations of the country.
Since Independence, 34,844 police personnel have died in the line duty, with 424 losing their lives this year. Many of these brave lives were lost in the fight against terrorism in various geographical regions such as Kashmir, Punjab, Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and LWE-affected regions of the country. Further, a large number of police lives were lost in prevention of crime and in maintenance of law and order.
The central sculpture of the NPM is a 30-feet monolith made of a single piece of granite, weighing 238 tonnes. Its weight and colour symbolise the gravitas and solemnity of the supreme sacrifice. A 60 foot long river at the base of the sculpture reflects the continuous self-service of the policeman and woman, to maintain peace and public order.
The Wall of Valour has the names of all 34,844 martyrs engraved on granite. A Police Museum will also be dedicated to the nation. It contains artefacts and points of time that shaped the history of the Indian police.
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