Police Commemoration Day honours fallen heroes

 Tirupati: The south coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh, including Tirupati, Nellore, and Prakasam, and Chittoor, paid homage to the valiant police officers who laid down their lives in the line of duty. This tribute was observed as part of ‘Police Commemoration Day’ at various headquarters across the region on Saturday.

In Chittoor district, superintendent of police Y. Rishanth Reddy, along with principal district judge E. Bheema Rao and district forest officer C. Chaitanya Kumar Reddy, led the police commemoration ceremony at the police training centre in Chittoor city. They paid their respects to the martyrs who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.

Speaking on the occasion, SP Rishanth Reddy recalled that nearly 50 police officers were injured and a constable lost his eyesight during a mob attack in Punganur in August. “Despite the devastating riots, the police did not lose their temper and exhibited their skill in maintaining law and order without disrupting the peace of the people”, he added. Further, the dignitaries honoured the family members of the police martyrs.

Deputy chief minister K. Narayana Swamy, district collector K. Venkataramana Reddy, TUDA chief C. Mohith Reddy, and SP P. Parameswara Reddy paid their tributes to the fallen police personnel at the district police office in Tirupati. They expressed their gratitude and appreciation for the dedication and bravery of those who gave their lives to protect the community.

The dignitaries paid special honour to the family members of martyred police personnel Mohammad Rafi, Veera Anjaneyulu, Mohan, Ramesh Nayak, and Suresh Kumar. SP Parameswara Reddy assured that the department would extend all possible support and welfare to the families of the five policemen who died in the line of duty in the district last year.

In Nellore, agriculture minister K. Govardhan Reddy, district collector M. Hari Narayanan, and SP Dr K. Tirumaleswara Reddy paid tribute to the police martyrs at the police parade grounds in Nellore city. SP Reddy emphasised that it was the duty of all citizens to remember and honour the police officers who sacrificed their lives for the betterment of society. The dignitaries launched the police commemoration week on this occasion.

In Prakasam, minister Adimulapu Suresh, MP M. Srinivasulu, collector A.S. Dinesh Kumar, SP Mallika Garg, and other dignitaries gathered at the police parade ground in Ongole to pay homage to the martyrs. They paid special honour to the family members of martyred police personnel, A. Solomon Carey Wesley, IPS, L. Shankar and M. Anjaneyulu (Greyhounds jr. commanders), K.V. Prashanth Rao (ASI), C. Venkata Ratnam, Sk. Mohammad Rafi, and E. Pawan Kumar (constables).