Dr Muktesh Chander
Panaji
Every year on October 21 the grateful nation remembers the sacrifice of ten valiant police personnel who laid down their lives while defending the integrity of our motherland at Hot Springs (Ladakh).
Since the middle of 1959, the frontier had suddenly become active on account of transgressions by Chinese troops. However, on October 21, a Police party, led by Karam Singh, DCIO, was ambushed by Chinese troops. The Indian policemen held their ground till they were overpowered by hostile force resulting in death of 10 and capture of 9.
The entire nation mourned the martyrdom of these policemen in an unequal encounter with the Chinese troops. The dead bodies were handed over by the Chinese on November 13 and were cremated at Hot Springs (Ladakh) the next morning. Later the heads of all police organizations of India decided (in 1960) that every year October 21 would be observed as Police Commemoration Day.
Goa Police too has been serving the people of Goa selflessly and unflinchingly. Significantly, on the occasion of Police Commemoration Day it will be a fitting tribute to remember our heroes namely late head constable Balaram B Shinde and late police sub-inspector Abhishek Sher-Ali Parvez Gomes who laid down their lives at the altar of duty. A brief life sketch of these Martyrs is given below :-
Late Balram B Shinde
Head Constable Balram Shinde was born in a small village of Sarawali in Kholapur district of Maharashtra. After passing his SSC in 1969, he was selected for the post of police constable in the Goa Police, due to his dedication and devotion towards his duty Shinde was promoted as head constable in the year 1985.
In 1999, during the course of an agitation by a few locals of the surrounding villages against the upcoming Meta Strips factory at Sancoale, Shinde was posted at Police Out-Post, Cortalim. On March 4, 2000, an unruly mob encircled it and locked up a few policemen into one of the rooms. Shinde (on duty) resisted the mob and tried his best to convince and control the mob. He was assaulted and was inflicted with life threatening injuries that rendered him unconscious. He was immediately shifted to GMC, where he remained in coma till he breathed his last on April 23.
Late Abhisek Sher-Ali Parvez Gomes
PSI Abhisek Sher-Ali Parvez Gomes, a resident of Margao was a directly recruited police sub-inspector, who had joined the Police Department on September 7, 2006.
On March 16, 2013 he along with police constable Maruti Dhupwadkar were run over by a truck in Ponda. Initially the PSI had signaled the truck to slow down but the drive drove past unfazed. After a hot chase he managed to overtake the truck and signaled it again to stop. However, the truck driver did not stop for the second time and instead of halting, the driver sped past and knocked down the motorcycle. He unfortunately succumbed to the injuries while undergoing treatment at the GMC.
The officers and men of Goa Police will remember these brave sons at a homage parade at the PHQ on Police Commemoration Day on October 21 by according them a solemn Guard of Honour in the presence of their families.
Author is currently serving as the DGP of Goa Police
