India Observes Police Commemoration Day to Honour Fallen Heroes
New Delhi, 21st October 2025: On October 21, India observes Police Commemoration Day, paying tribute to the bravery and sacrifice of police personnel who have laid down their lives in the line of duty. The day marks the 1959 ambush at Hot Springs, Ladakh, where ten valiant policemen were killed by heavily armed Chinese troops.
The main ceremony is held at the National Police Memorial (NPM) in Chanakyapuri, New Delhi, which was dedicated to the nation by the Hon’ble Prime Minister on Police Commemoration Day in 2018. The memorial, featuring a 30-feet-high granite cenotaph, the ‘Wall of Valour’ engraved with the names of martyrs, and a museum chronicling the history of policing in India, serves as a site of national pride and remembrance.
The commemorative function is traditionally presided over by the Union Home Minister (UHM) and attended by Union Ministers of State for Home, Members of Parliament with police backgrounds, heads of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), Chief Police Officers, retired directors general, and other dignitaries. The event includes a joint parade of CAPFs and Delhi Police, wreath-laying ceremonies at the altar dedicated to the martyrs of Hot Springs, and addresses by the UHM highlighting the sacrifices of police personnel and challenges of modern policing. The ceremony is broadcast live on Doordarshan and webcast on police websites, while also being covered by All India Radio and other media outlets.
From October 22 to 30, a series of commemorative events take place across the country and at NPM. These include visits by families of martyrs, police band displays, motorcycle rallies, runs for martyrs, blood donation camps, essay and painting competitions for children, and video screenings highlighting police service and valour. CAPFs and police forces nationwide organise similar programmes to honour the courage and dedication of their personnel.
The National Police Memorial remains open to the public every day except Mondays. On Saturdays and Sundays, CAPFs organise evening band displays, parades, and retreat ceremonies, starting one hour prior to sunset, allowing citizens and police personnel alike to pay their respects.
Police Commemoration Day is a solemn reminder of the selfless service and unwavering commitment of India’s police forces, inspiring current and future generations to uphold the ideals of courage, duty, and national integrity.
