The Police Commemoration Day was observed on Friday in the Union Territories (UTs) of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. J&K Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha and Ladakh’s LG RK Mathur paid tributes to the martyrs in Srinagar and Leh respectively.

Addressing the parade at Zewan in Srinagar, Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha urged the civil society to take a firm stand against terrorism. He said innocent civilians are being targeted by terrorists at the behest of Pakistan.

We will pay a befitting tribute to our martyrs by striking the last nail in the coffin of terrorism, said the Lt Governor.

The way people have come out against terrorists and expressed anger against the recent killings of civilians, gives us a hope that this evil will die soon and disappear from the society, he added.

Violence has no place in civilized society. However, there are few elements trying to justify despicable acts because of their self interest. Action will be taken against such people as per the law of the land, the Lt Governor warned.

Sinha asked the police and security forces to closely monitor subversive elements and take swift and appropriate action. He also emphasized on evolving strategies for effective monitoring and quick response in fighting conventional as well as modern threats, intensifying crackdown on narco-terror networks and incorporating innovative technology into the police system.

Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar, Advisor to Lt Governor; Dr Arun Kumar Mehta, Chief Secretary; RK Goyal, Additional Chief Secretary, Home Department; Lt GeneralAmardeep Singh Aujla, GOC, 15 Corps and top brass was present on the occasion.

Meanwhile, Lt Governor of Ladakh, RK Mathur, said October 21 has a special significance for Ladakh as it was on this day that ten police personnel out of 20 led by DSP Karam Singh from ITBF sacrificed their lives while defending the country from the Chinese attack at the hot spring near Chushul. The incident, he said, enraged the entire country and their sacrifices are still remembered through National Police Commemoration Day.

Mathur also paid tributes to the five policemen from Ladakh who sacrificed their lives while fighting terrorists in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Calling Ladakh Police the ‘youngest police force’ in the country, Mathur stated that Ladakh Police is a fully independent force in terms of manpower.