SHILLLONG/ NONGSTOIN: The forces in Meghalaya, on Wednesday, paid rich tributes to the police martyrs and expressed gratitude to all policemen for their selfless service on the occasion of Police Commemoration Day.
Police forces from various districts as well as the Border Security Force (BSF) remembered the sacrifices of the police personnel in the line of duty and paid respectful homage by laying wreaths at memorial sites in each district headquarter, and reading out the names of the police martyrs during ceremony.
A total of 127 police personnel including officers have sacrificed their lives in serving the state fighting various anti-social elements.
Meghalaya Police, on the day, recalled the sacrifices of two such policemen who manifested valour and spirit to fight for the state and country. The two names were (L) Raymond P Diengdoh, Deputy Superintendent of Police, and (L) Rel Deo Sangma, an armed branch constable.
In the year 2007, about seven to ten cadres of the proscribed HNLC, armed with AK-47/AK-56 rifles, hand grenades and explosives, had setup a camp deep in the jungle near village Paham Umdoh under Byrnihat Out Post, bordering Assam. Raymond Phillip Diengdoh led his men to the cadres’ hideout and commanded them to surrender, but instead of surrendering, the militants opened fire on the assault team and as they traded fire, Diengdoh shot dead one of the militants.
He too, unfortunately, took a bullet below his left shoulder and was gravely wounded. Notwithstanding his injuries, the braveheart continued to lead the team and later succeeded in nabbing two senior cadres of the HNLC. He, however, succumbed to the injuries after.
Diengdoh was posthumously awarded with India’s highest Gallantry Award, Ashoka Chakra, which was announced during the Independence Day Celebration in 2008.
On the other hand, AB Constable Rel Deo Sangma was martyred during an encounter with self-styled militant group the ‘Liberation of Achik Elite Force’ in 2008.
As per a tip-off, police team was informed about the presence of the outfit in Damit village under Shallang Outpost, West Khasi Hills.
A team, led by GD Kharwanlang, Deputy Superintendent of Police (HQ) along with the Special Operations Team, left Nongstoin to conduct operations in the village.
During the operation, Sangma approached the house where the militants were hiding and called out to the LAEF cadres to come out and lay down their arms, but none complied with the call.
Instead, the fired from inside the house towards the police team and an encounter ensued.
Sangma, with the help of a tactical move, fired directly at them and hit one of the militants. He then made a call to the police team to advance forward with him providing fire cover.
As the team followed the course, the militants started running away and fired at them simultaneously.
During the encounter, Sangma stepped into the firing line so as to clear the way for the other team members and in the act, a bullet hit him, which killed him subsequently. Sangma was a recipient of the Governor’s Police Medal for Gallantry in 2008 and was also conferred with the Kirti Chakra (posthumously) on the occasion of the Republic Day Celebration in New Delhi in 2010.
BSF battalions
Meanwhile, remembering the brave policemen, the BSF Meghalaya Frontier observed the occasion at Frontier Headquarters in Umpling, Sector Headquaters at Mawpat as well as Dobasipara and other locations of BSF battalions in the state including War Memorial Kilapara, South Garo Hills.
At headquarters BSF Meghalaya, the day was observed at War Memorial in the Umpling Campus by organising a parade.
Hardeep Singh, Inspector General of Meghalaya Frontier BSF, laid the wreath at the War Memorial and paid homage to the bravehearts in the presence of over 150 officers and men. A two-minute silence was also observed
UK Nayal, DIG/PRO said, “During the last one year, 25 BSF personnel, including two subordinate officers and 23 others made the supreme sacrifice while performing duties in different parts of the country and they will always be remembered and honored”.
WKH Police
Also, West Khasi Hills Police personnel, led by Superintendent of Police HG Lyngdoh, gathered at Magazine Guard, Nongstoin Police Station compound, to pay their respects.
The SP read out the names of 264 police personnel who died while performing their duties from the September 1 to August 31, and as a mark of homage, a wreath was laid down in memory of those that sacrificed their lives for the cost of safeguarding the society, in particular, and the nation as a whole.