New Delhi, 19 October (H.S.): Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah will pay tribute to police personnel who laid down their lives in the line of duty at the National Police Memorial in New Delhi on October 21, marking Police Commemoration Day. On the occasion, he will also flag off a nationwide motorcycle rally carrying the message of the fight against drugs.

According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs on Monday, the rally will feature around 90 motorcyclists representing various states and Union Territories, including Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh and Chandigarh. Personnel from the Central Armed Police Forces and other central police organisations will also participate.

The rally is part of a nationwide campaign under which motorcyclists from different states, Union Territories and central forces will travel to Ekta Nagar in Gujarat to participate in the Ekta Parade 2026. The initiative aims to spread awareness about the dangers of narcotic substances while promoting the message of national unity.

Police Commemoration Day is observed every year on October 21 to honour police personnel who have sacrificed their lives in the service of the nation and the protection of its people. On October 21, 1959, ten police personnel were killed in an ambush by an armed Chinese contingent in the Hot Springs area of Ladakh. The day has been observed as Police Commemoration Day ever since, in memory of their sacrifice.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated the National Police Memorial in Chanakyapuri, New Delhi, to the nation on the occasion of Police Commemoration Day 2018. The memorial was established to preserve the memory of police personnel who made the supreme sacrifice and to recognise the role of the police in safeguarding national security and unity.

The memorial features a 30-foot-high central granite sculpture, a ‘Wall of Valour’ bearing the names of police personnel who lost their lives in the line of duty, and a museum documenting the history and evolution of policing in India. It holds special significance for the public and seeks to strengthen the sense of national identity, pride and dedication to duty among police personnel.

According to the ministry, the main ceremony will include a joint parade by the Central Armed Police Forces and the Delhi Police. After paying tribute to the fallen personnel, the Home Minister will address the gathering. The event will also be attended by the Minister of State for Home Affairs, chiefs of the Central Armed Police Forces and central police organisations, Members of Parliament with police backgrounds, retired Directors General of Police and other senior officials.

A series of programmes will be organised across the country from October 22 to 30 in memory of fallen police personnel, including events at the National Police Memorial. These will include invitations to the families of martyrs, police band performances, motorcycle rallies, commemorative runs and screenings of video films highlighting the courage, sacrifice and service of police personnel.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar