| National Police Memorial | |
|---|---|
| India | |
.JPG) | |
| Used for those deceased 1947 to present | |
| Unveiled | 21 October 2018 |
| Location | 28°36′16″N77°11′37″E / 28.60447°N 77.193626°E /28.60447; 77.193626 Kautilya Marg, Diplomatic Enclave,Chanakyapuri,New Delhi |
| Designed by | Adwaita Gadanayak (central sculpture) |
| Website | www |
TheNational Police Memorial inIndia commemorates the 34,844 police personnel from all of the central and state police forces in India who have died in the line of duty since the nation'sIndependence in 1947.[1] Located in New Delhi'sChanakyapuri area, the 6.12acres (2.48hectares) memorial consists of a 30-foot (9.1-metre) tall and 238-tonne (234-long-ton; 262-short-ton) heavy black granite central sculpture, a museum and a 'Wall of Valour' bearing the names of all 34,844 police personnel who have died in the line of duty.[2][3][4] The underground museum is the first police museum of its kind in India, and showcases over 2000 years of policing in the region, since the time ofKautilya's system of law and order in 310 BCE.[5]
The renovated and refurbished memorial and museum was inaugurated by theprime minister, Narendra Modi, on 21 October 2018, which is also the Police Commemoration Day (PoliceMartyr's Day) in India.[4][6][7]
The National Police Memorial commemorates the police personnel who died in the fight against terrorism, militancy and insurgency in states such asJammu and Kashmir,Punjab,Assam,Nagaland,Manipur,Mizoram andred corridor-affected regions in India. The memorial also commemorates the large number of police lives which were lost in prevention of crime and in maintenance of law and order.[1]
The memorial was first conceptualised in 1984,[6] but the plan to have a National Police Memorial was only first proposed whenAtal Bihari Vajpayee was the prime minister.[6] Thehome minister at the time,L. K. Advani, laid the foundation stone.[7] The earlier memorial was a 150 ft (46 m) structure of steel. But it was dismantled in 2008 on the order of theDelhi High Court as it violated environmental norms.[6]
Old versions of the memorial:
The central sculpture is a 30 ft (9 m)monolith made of a slab of granite weighing 238 tonnes. The weight and colour "symbolise the gravitas and solemnity of the supreme sacrifice". At the base of the structure, a 60 ft (18 m) river represents the continuous self-service of the police personnel in carrying out their duties.[1] The central memorial sculpture has been designed byAdwaita Gadanayak.[8] The stone comes fromKhammam inTelangana.[9]
Designed as part of the overall design scheme by architect Uday Bhat the names of all the 34,844 personnel who died in the line of duty from 1947 to present day are engraved on the granite, including 424 who died in 2018.[1]
TheNational Police Memorial Museum is the first of its kind in India. The museum is underground and consists of five galleries over 1600 square meters. There are sections dedicated for various central and state police forces in India includingCentral Industrial Security Force,Special Protection Group,National Security Guard,Railway Protection Force,Bureau of Civil Aviation Security,Central Reserve Police Force andIntelligence Bureau.[5] Police forces from all 28 states and 8 Union territories are presented, including special mention for women squads, police bands and animal squads (camel, dog and pigeon post). The role of police research organisations have also been mentioned such as theBureau of Police Research and Development, theNational Institute of Criminology and Forensic Science and theNational Technical Research Organisation.[5]
The martyrdom and stories section includesOperation Vajra Shakti (2002),Operation Puttur (2013), the killing ofVeerappan (2004), and the death ofVandana Malik (1989) - the first femaleIndian Police Service officer killed in the line of duty, and various other stories.[5]
