DW BUREAU / Chandigarh

Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav on Monday said common citizens are the topmost priority of the force which wants to give people-friendly and effective policing to the people of Punjab. Paying rich tributes to all the police personnel who died in the line of duty on the 65th Police Commemoration Day, Director General of Police (DGP) Yadav called Punjab Police an exceptional force which has served the country both in times of peace and disturbance.

The members of the police force laid down their lives to maintain the unity of the nation and provide security to its citizens, the DGP said during the function held at the Punjab Armed Police (PAP) headquarters here.

On October 21, 1959, 10 policemen died in the line of duty during an ambush laid by heavily-armed Chinese troops at the Hot Springs in Ladakh.

Since then, every year October 21 is observed to honour these martyrs and all other police personnel who died while performing their duty.

Stating that Punjab Police sacrificed 1,799 of its officers, including two this year, since September 1981, the DGP said it is because of these martyrs that we all are enjoying freedom today.

the force for its bravery, courage, and for successfully rooting out militancy, Yadav said Punjab Police always remained at the forefront to save the motherland from enemies and it will continue to work harder towards maintaining peace and communal harmony in the border state.

Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the event, the police chief said street crime and sale of drugs are the two identified areas which directly affect the common citizens.

To combat street crime, a strategy has been devised to identify the hotspots using crime mapping, and intensify patrolling and force deployment in such areas, Yadav said.Similarly, to break the cycle of drugs, the hotspots are being identified with the help of people, while senior police officers are holding public meetings to gather firsthand information about the selling points.

"Common citizens are our topmost priority. We are identifying what affects them the most and working to solve the issues," the DGP said, adding, "We want to give people-friendly and effective policing to the people of Punjab." On extortion calls, Yadav said analyses by the Punjab Police revealed that over 80 per cent of such calls were being made by local criminals pretending to be notorious gangsters, while less than 20 per cent come from so-called actual gangsters.

He also urged the citizens to report such crimes promptly, directing the officers to convert each and every extortion call or any other petty crime, including snatching, into an FIR to carry out a thorough probe.

After the event, the DGP met the family members of the martyred police personnel and assured them full support from the state government and Punjab Police.

"We will not let the sacrifices of our heroes go in vain. I assure you that Punjab Police will continue to serve people with full dedication and bravery to ensure peace and harmony in the state," Yadav said.

A commemoration parade was held at the Police Martyr's Memorial built on the PAP campus to mark the occasion.
(editor@dailyworld.in)