INDIA may soon have its maiden official ‘Police Flag Day’ on October 21, on the lines of the Armed Forces Flag Day that is observed in the honour of the soldiers since 1949, officials said on Sunday. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is expected to notify the said protocol to honour the serving and those police personnel killed in the line of duty across the country to uphold the internal security of the country in the coming days, they told PTI. While there have been isolated police flag day events observed in some States, there was never a national day in this context bringing together both the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and those from the State, they said. Officials said the CAPFs like the CRPF, BSF, ITBP, CISF and SSB have been directed to observe the Police Flag Day and distribute its stickers on October 21, which is observed as the National Police Commemoration Day.

 

The day is marked every year in memory of 10 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel who were killed on October 21, 1959, in an ambush by Chinese troops in Ladakh’s Hot Spring area while defending the Indian border. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is expected to lead the country and lay a wreath at the National Police Memorial in Chanakyapuri as part of the day’s event. A joint column of CAPFs will present a march past at the memorial. Various events will also be held by the CAPFs beginning October 21 and ending on October 31 at Kevadia in Gujarat in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to mark the National Unity Day on the occasion of the birthday of Sardar Vallabhai Patel. The country, since 1949, observes December 7 as the Armed Forces Flag Day and its sticker is pinned on the chest by the personnel and officers of various forces, apart from students and common people.