New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday inaugurated a refurbished national police memorial and a newly-built museum for the khaki-donning forces in Delhi. While addressing the crowd, he also said that the public will assist the cops in bringing down crime if the officers are more compassionate towards them. 

"The relationship between society and police can be significantly improved if cops at police stations just offer a glass of water to people who come there to file a complaint. Society will come forward to cooperate with you if you are compassionate towards them. This will help you reduce the crime rate," he said, as reported by India Today.

A 30-feet-tall and 238-tonne heavy black granite central sculpture honouring the slain troopers, a museum and a wall of valour bearing the names of over 34,800 martyred personnel were unveiled during the event held to mark the National Police Commemoration Day.

What is National Police Commemoration Day?

National Police Commemoration Day is observed every year on October 21 to pay tribute to the police personnel who had sacrificed their lives. 

In 1959, on this very same day, 10 policemen lost their lives while fighting the Chinese Army after the latter attacked Hot Springs in Ladakh.

Highlights from today

1. The PM was accorded a ceremonial salute upon his arrival at the memorial which is built on a 6.12-acre land in central Delhi's Chanakyapuri area. He was received by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on the venue.

2. He then led the people present for the event into laying wreaths on the memorial in the honour and memory of the jawan killed in the line of action.

3. Ministers of state in the Home Ministry Kiren Rijiju and Hansram G Ahir, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval along with senior officers and personnel of various Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and state police forces were present during the event.

4. Intelligence Bureau Director Rajiv Jain said 34,844 police personnel from central and state police forces have laid down their lives in the line of duty since Independence, 414 did so over the last year.

5. The day is observed to pay homage to the 10 policemen killed in an ambush by Chinese troops in 1959 in Ladakh's Hot Spring area.

6. Numerous other personnel who laid down their lives protecting the country's unity and integrity are remembered on the occasion.

7. The memorial, built a few years ago, has now been refurbished and the central structure has been enhanced by replacing the old rock structure.

8. The museum capturing the history, artefacts, uniform and gear of central and state police forces is an underground facility in the premises of the national police memorial.

9. The museum project is being steered by the Intelligence Bureau (IB) in coordination with the central armed police forces (CAPFs) that function under the command of the Union Home Ministry.


With inputs from PTI