Every year on October 21st, Police Commemoration Day is celebrated. The day honours the sacrifices of ten police officers who died in 1959 while guarding our borders with China.
Three scouting parties were despatched from Hot Springs in North Eastern Ladakh on October 20, 1959. This was in preparation for an Indian expedition on its way to Lanak La to proceed forward. Two of the three parties returned to Hot Springs by the afternoon of that day, but the third, which consisted of two police constables and a porter, unfortunately did not.
Early the next morning, all available forces were mobilised in search of the missing personnel. Karam Singh, DSP / DCIO, was in charge of this team. Around midday, Chinese Army troops were seen on a hillside firing and throwing grenades at the Karam Singh-led party. The majority of the troops were hurt since there was no cover. The Chinese kidnapped the seven injured people. Ten of our heroic police officers were martyred, while seven others were injured. The Chinese only returned the bodies of the ten men three weeks after the incident, on November 13, 1959.
These deceased were cremated in Hot Springs with full police honours. In January 1960, the Annual Conference of Inspectors General of Police of States and Union Territories later decided that October 21 would be marked as "Commemoration Day" / Martyr's Day from then on.
As the nation remembers the brave hearts who sacrificed their life in the line of duty, have a look at how netizens have taken to Twitter to pay their Tributes.
