Punjab Police - Martyrs-Gallery

On 21^st October every year, commemoration Parades are held in all police units as a mark of respect to brave police martyrs, who sacrificed their lives in the line of duty. The arms are reversed and two minutes silence is observed in the honour of the departed souls. The names of police martyrs of states, police and paramilitary forces are read out, to acknowledge with pride the supreme sacrifices made by them. The history of commemoration day traces back to 21^st October 1959, when a patrol party of CRPF, led by SI Karam Singh, was ambushed by the Chinese forces at Hot Springs ladakh and 10 jawans were killed, the bravery and resultant sacrifice of jawans fighting at 16,000 ft. altitude, in extremely cold conditions and against all odds, is an epitome of the rarest of the rare courage Indo-Tibetan Border Police sends a representative party of all police forces, of the country, to Hot springs, Ladakh every year to pay homage to the martyrs who laid down their lives on 21^st Oct, 1959 while guarding national frontiers.

Punjab Police has been called upon to perform multifarious duties in various parts of the country. After independence, Punjab Police protected Indo-Pak Border as well as Indo-Chinese Border before ITBP & BSF came into being. Punjab Police is also sent for internal security duty to many terrorism affected states at a very short notice. Sardar Vallabh Bhgai Patel, the first Home Minister of India made the following observations about Punjab Police:

"I know the difficulties and disaster which overtook the Punjab Police during the period of partition. Your force was depleted terribly and quickly you had to begin from a scratch. …..After such a partition and the period of communal disturbances a parallel of which is not known, you had to face great difficulties and you have in fact performed miracle in reorganizing your force in such a short time and in such a splendid manner".

The history of Punjab Police is a history of gallantry, sacrifice and innumerable achievements. Punjab has a 556 kilometers long international border with Pakistan and witnessed the worst phase of militancy which lasted over a decade. It is to the credit of men and officers of the valiant force, that we could eliminate terrorism, from its roots, an example unmatched in any corner of the world, where terrorism of such a magnitude has erupted.

The Police leadership of the day motivated the force to challenge and end the reign of militancy with heroism, patriotism and devotion. It is because of the ongoing sacrifices of thousands of our men and women that we continue to enjoy an atmosphere of peace, security and prosperity in the State. Today once again we respectfully remember their sacrifices and salute our real life heroes of Punjab Police.

The beginning of the eighties confronted Punjab Police with the unenviable and enormously difficult task to handle over a decade-long brutal phase of mindless violence by misguided youth of Punjab. Misguided by the opportunistic agencies like ISI of Pakistan, which had been constantly fermenting religious insensitivity and intolerance through some of the religious groups of Punjab. The dilemma of Punjab Police was that the sons of soil of rural Punjab, who formed the bulk and back bone of the State, Punjab Police had to fight its own kiths and kins who gravitated to terrorism under the brain-washing, arming, and training of ISI. The leadership in Punjab Police was actually aware of these social and operational realities. Hence, the young officers of the Indian Police Services led the force from the front, and were extensively involved in the control of terrorism at the field level.
Cohesiveness in ranks, professionalism of the highest order and the dictum of duty before self kept Punjab Police in very high spirits despite the fact that the mindless and brutal killers among terrorist ranks, not only ambushed the policemen on duty, but also killed them even off-duty and while on leave. The brutality extended to cold-blooded killing of fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters and children of Punjab Police personnel. However, the saga of commitment of Punjab Police to its duty translated into absolute control of terrorism despite over 1,700 martyrdom of its men besides hundreds of cowardly killings of their relations by the terrorists.
Punjab Police is tremendously proud of its men and maintains extremely fond memories as well as looks after the wards of its departed brilliant martyrs. Punjab Police presents some of its martyrs through this website as its salutation and deep regards for them.

MARTYR	DETAILS
	Sh. A.S. Atwal IPS, Deputy Inspector General of Police, Jalandhar. (23.2.1943 --- 25.04.1983) He was shot dead by terrorists at the gate of Golden Temple, Amritsar on 25.04.1983, while returning after paying obeisance with Karah Prasaad in his hands. He was unarmed when pumped with number of bullets with deadly assault riffle. He was awarded President Police Medal for Gallantry posthumously.
	Sh. Ajit Singh IPS, Deputy Inspector General of Police, Border Range, Amritsar (10.4.1945 --- 7.5.1991) On 7.5.1991 Sh. Ajit Singh was leading the force and engaged in a fierce encounter at village Ratoul, police station Tarn Taran. He along with other four security men were killed in the encounter. The terrorists used highly sophisticated sniper riffle Dragnov to aim at Sh. Ajit Singh from a long distance. Before dying he saw that seven terrorists belonging to BTFK were also killed in the encounter.
	Sh. A.S. Brar, IPS, Senior Supdt. of Police Patiala (11.4.1955 --- 14.12.1987) In the early morning hours on 14.12.1987 Sh. Brar along with Sh. K.R.S. Gill, SP/Hqrs were busy in doing exercises for their physical fitness. The two terrorists putting on track suits pretending to be sportsmen opened fire upon them, as a result of which both the officers died on the spot. He was awarded Padam Shri posthumously.
	Sh. K.R.S. Gill, IPS, SP/Hqrs. Patiala (15.3.1955 --- 14.12.1987) Sh. Gill was busy in doing physical exercises in the morning hours of 14.12.1987 along with Sh. A.S. Brar, SSP/Patiala when two terrorists in the garb of sportsmen came in track suits and open indiscriminate firing killing both the officers on the spot.
	Sh. Sital Dass, IPS, SSP Patiala (18.10.1948 --- 17.8.1988) Sh Sital Dass, Senior Supdt. of Police, Patiala along with Sh. Baldev Singh Brar, SP/D Patiala, were interrogating some persons having links with top terrorists of KLF. The officers were shot dead in the police station from close range.
	Sh. Gobind Ram, IPS, Commandant, 75 Bn PAP Jalandhar Cantt. (22. 9. 1945 --- 10.1.1990) Sh. Gobind Ram while carrying out official duty in his office in PAP Complex, Jalandhar on 10.1.1990, was killed in a bomb blast, which was planted by the terrorists in the cooler of his office. Four other police personnel also died in this blast.
	Sh. B. S. Brar, PPS, Superintendent of Police, Detective, Patiala.(27.11.1941 --- 17.8.1988) Sh. Brar along with Sh. Sital Dass, SSP, Patiala were interrogating top links of terrorists of KLF in the police station Civil Lines, Patiala. Both the police officers were shot dead from the close range.
	Sh. Harjit Singh, PPS, Superintendent of Police, Operation, Tarn Taran (22.4.1943 --- 24.11.1990) Sh. Harjit Singh was going with his gunmen in his official vehicle. The terrorists planted bomb on the way to his office. Sh. Harjit Singh died in the bomb blast on 24.11.1990. His two gunmen were also killed in the blast and the vehicle was blown up.
	Sh. Joginder Singh Khaira, PPS, Supdt of Police, Ropar (21.3.1935 --- 9.10.1991) Sh. Khaira had done commendable work on anti-terrorists front and was on their hit list. He was killed by the extremists of KLF on 9.10.1991 at village Khant Manapur police station Morinda district Ropar while returning back to Ropar after performing important duty.
	Sh. R. P.S. Teja, PPS Supdt of Police (16.6.1953 --- 27.1.1992) Sh. Teja, SP/Detective, Batala was engaged in an encounter at village Karnama police station Kadian on 27.1.1992. Before he was killed by the activists of KCF (Wassan), he killed one hard core terrorist in this encounter.
	Sh. Harpal Singh PPS, Dy. Supdt of Police, Baba Bakala (5.12.1930 --- 9/10.2.1987) Sh. Harpal Singh was killed by the terrorists in his residential accommodation at Rayya, while he was sleeping in the night intervening Feb., 9/10.1987.
	Sh. Tara Chand PPS, Dy. Supdt of Police (1.10.1930 --- 6.11.1987) Sh. Tara Chand killed by the terrorists in the area of police station Jagraon on 6.11.1987 when he was unarmed and attending important work.
	Sh. H. S. Gill, PPS, Deputy Superintendent of Police (1.1.1942 --- 20.11.1988) Sh. H.S. Gill joined as P/ASI on 18.4.1964. By dint of his hard work he was promoted to the rank of Dy. Supdt . of Police on 1.6.1984. During the year 1988 he was posted in District Faridkot and was killed by the terrorists on 20.11.1988.
	Sh. Baldev Singh, PPS, Dy. Supdt. of police ( 4.2.1938 --- 27.8.1990) Sh. Baldev Singh was on duty when the terrorists attacked on him near village Talapur police station Chamkaur Sahib district Ropar. He was brutally killed in this attack. Two constables were also killed and one Sub-Inspector and 3 constables sustained injuries.
	Sh. Gopal Singh Ghuman, PPS, Dy. Supdt. of police, Zira (13.1.1933--- 4.1.1989) Sh. Gopal Singh Ghuman receipt a secret information that some terrorists are hiding somewhere in Mallanwala area, he acted very quickly and rushed towards the terrorists and raided.In this 24 hours encounter 4 dreaded terrorists were killed. Sh. Ghuman also died in the encounter.
	Sh. Gurcharan Singh, PPS, Dy. Supdt. of police, (12.5.1939--- 11.10.1987) Sh. Gurcharan Singh born on 12-5-1939 and joined the police service as porbationer ASI on 15-5-62. He was promoted to the rank of Dy.Superintendent of police, in the year 1982. On 11-10-87 he was killed by the terrorist while posted in district Jalandhar
	Sh. Om Parkash, PPS, Dy. Supdt. of police, (18.3.1932--- 11.12.1987) Sh. Om Parkash, Bedi, PPS joined service as constable on 10-11-1951 by dint of his hardwork, he was promoted to the rank of Dy. Superintendent of Police, in the year 1986. During 1987 he was posted in PSEB at Tharmal Power House Plant, Bathinda. ON 11-12-1987 he was killed by the terrorist there.
	Sh. Surjit Singh Ghuman, PPS, Dy. Supdt. of police, (24.6.1936--- 27.12.1990) Sh. Surjit Singh Ghuman, PPS joined as P/ASI. He was promoted to the rank of Dy. SP on 17-8-1987. On 27-12-1990 Sh. Surjit Singh Dy. SP his wife and two gunmen were killed at village Chuharchak, PS Mehna Distt. Faridkot. The terrorists also took along arms and ammunition of the gunmen.
	Sh. Ram Singh, PPS, Dy. Supdt. of police, (12.10.1945--- 2.9.1992) Sh. Ram Singh , PPS DSP joined service on 20-6-1975 as P/ASI he was promoted to the rank of Dy.SP on 28-3-1992. On 2-9-1992 while posted in district Khanna he was chasing the terrorist and as a result of firing by terrorists he died.