BSF pays homage to martyrs on police commemoration day

The BSF Sunday observed police commemoration day here to pay homage to over 400 martyrs including 12 personnel of the force who fell to Pakistani firing along the International border (IB) this year.

The deaths in the ceasefire violations by Pakistan marked a manifold increase this year compared to last four years when a total of eight Border Security Force (BSF) personnel were killed and 36 others were injured.

Every year, the commemoration day is observed on October 21 to remember the 10 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) men who died fighting Chinese aggression on October 21, 1959, at Hotspring, Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir.

BSF Inspector General of Jammu, Ram Awtar, led his officers to pay tribute to the slain police and paramilitary personnel at martyrs memorial at its headquarters at Paloura on the outskirts of Jammu, a spokesman of the force said.

He said the IG BSF laid wreath and paid homage to the police personnel who laid down their lives in the line of duty.

Addressing the gathering, the IG BSF read out the names of martyrs and said during last one year a total of 414 police and paramilitary person laid their lives in the service to the national, out of which 42 belong to BSF, which is highest among the paramilitary forces.

BSF apart from manning Pakistan and Bangladesh border is also deployed in anti-naxal operation in Chhattisgarh and Odisha and for counter insurgency operations in north east states, the spokesperson said.

Majority of the police personnel died in firing from Pakistan, fighting militancy in Jammu and Kashmir, Naxals and other law and order duties, the official added.

Over 330 ceasefire violations occurred this year, also resulting in injuries to 37 personnel which is also the highest in the last four years.

A total of eight BSF personnel were martyred and 36 others injured in 792 ceasefire violations from 2014 to 2017, with highest three deaths reported in 2016 followed by two each in 2014 and 2017 and one in 2015 the year which also saw over 350 ceasefire violations, a BSF official said.

Pakistani troops are frequently violating the ceasefire along the IB and the Line of Control (LoC) and the first casualty this year occurred when head constable Radha Hazra achieved martyrdom on Jan 3 followed by the deaths of head constables Suresh and Nagpal Singh on January 17 and 19.