PM Modi honours survivors of 1959 Ladakh's Hot Spring attack

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday honoured the survivours of 1959 Ladakh's Hot Spring attack, on the occasion of Police Commemoration Day.

Prime Minister Modi, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader LK Advani paid tributes to the policemen killed in an ambush by Chinese troops, who had violated Indian Territory in Aksai Chin area, on this day in 1959.

The Prime Minister marking the National Police Commemoration Day also inaugurated a 30-feet-tall and 238-tonne heavy black granite central sculpture honouring the slain troopers, a museum and a wall of valour bearing the names of over 34,800 martyred personnel.

Until the autumn of 1959, the Indian Police personnel were responsible for manning the 2,500-mile long border of India with Tibet. On October 20, 1959, three reconnaissance parties were launched from Hot Springs in preparation for further movement of an Indian expedition which was on its way to Lanak La. Two parties returned to Hot Springs by the afternoon of that day, while the third one comprising of two police constables and a porter did not return.

A party of about 20 personnel of the Intelligence Bureau and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) led by Karam Singh, DCIO proceeded ahead on horseback, while others followed on foot in three Sections.

At about midday, Chinese Army personnel on a hillock opened fire and threw grenades at the party and since there was no cover, most personnel were injured.

10 police personnel died, seven were taken as prisoners by the Chinese and the remaining managed to escape.

Bodies of the 10 personnel were returned by the Chinese only on November 28, 1959, after full five weeks of the incident.

Since then October 21 is observed as Commemoration Day in all Police Lines throughout India to mark the memory of these policemen who were killed in Ladakh and all other police personnel killed on duty during the year.