Kataka: The Odisha Police on Wednesday observed the 67th Police Commemoration Day at the State Police Headquarters in Kataka, paying homage to police personnel who laid down their lives in the line of duty, with DGP-in-Charge Vinaytosh Mishra urging the force to uphold professionalism and strengthen public trust.
Mishra, who attended the ceremony as the chief guest, paid floral tributes to the martyrs and expressed his condolences to their bereaved families. The state police force presented a ceremonial salute with reversed arms, followed by two minutes of silence in memory of the fallen personnel.
Addressing the gathering, the DGP recalled that on October 21, 1959, ten personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) made the supreme sacrifice while fighting Chinese troops in the Ladakh region. The day is observed annually across the country as Police Commemoration Day in recognition of their courage and sacrifice.
Mishra said 154 personnel from various state police forces and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) had laid down their lives in the line of duty during the current year.
Their bravery, dedication and commitment to duty would continue to inspire the entire police fraternity, he said.
Paying tribute to Odisha Police personnel and paramilitary forces who attained martyrdom during anti-Maoist operations in the state, Mishra said their courage and relentless efforts had contributed significantly to combating Maoist violence and restoring peace.
He also acknowledged the sacrifices and resilience of the families of personnel killed in the line of duty.
The DGP said the role of the police had expanded beyond conventional crime prevention and control, with personnel facing challenges such as terrorism, Maoist extremism, organised crime, cybercrime, drug trafficking, crimes against women and children, traffic management and the maintenance of law and order.
He stressed the need to strengthen the professional capabilities of police personnel through modern technology, continuous training and improved operational preparedness.
Calling upon officers and personnel to discharge their duties with honesty, courage, dedication and professionalism, Mishra urged them to work collectively towards building a safe, peaceful and crime-free Odisha.
According to the figures presented at the ceremony, the personnel who lost their lives in the line of duty during the current year included those from several state police forces and central security organisations.
Among the state police forces, Bihar reported six fatalities, while Madhya Pradesh reported nine. Assam, Chhattisgarh, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh reported six each, while Rajasthan and West Bengal reported five each.
The figures also included personnel from Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Manipur, Punjab, Telangana, Uttarakhand, Delhi and Jammu and Kashmir.
Among the central forces and other organisations, the Border Security Force (BSF) reported 25 fatalities, while the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) reported nine and the Railway Protection Force (RPF) eight. Assam Rifles reported six, the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) five, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) four and the CRPF two. One personnel each from Fire Services, Civil Defence and Home Guards was also reported to have died in the line of duty.
The programme was organised under the supervision of Additional Director General of Police (Headquarters) Prateek Mohanty.
Several senior police officers attended the ceremony, including R P Koche, Director (Intelligence); Y K Jethwa, Director (Vigilance); S K Priyadarsi, Additional DGP (Modernisation); Dr Santosh Bala, Director (SFSL); Arun Bothra, Additional DGP (Railways and Coastal Security); Asit Kumar Panigrahi, Additional DGP (Vigilance); Sanjay Kumar, Additional DGP (Law and Order); Rajesh Kumar, Additional DGP (SAP); and Yatindra Koyal, Additional DGP (HRPC).
Other senior officers of the state police department were also present and paid tribute to the personnel who made the supreme sacrifice in the service of the nation.
