Ongole: Minister Balineni Srinivasa Reddy, MP Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy praise invaluable services of police

Ongole: Energy Minister Balineni Srinivasa Reddy thanked the Police department for the sacrifices of the personnel in the line of duty to protect the lives of people and maintain peace and security.

The Minister participated in the Police Commemoration Day parade as the chief guest along with the Ongole MP Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy, Collector Pravin Kumar, Ongole Nayor Gangada Sujatha, while the SP Malika Garg presided over the programme, on Thursday.

The public representatives and the officials placed garlands and wreaths at the Martyrs' Memorial and observed a two-minute silence.

Speaking on the occasion, Balineni said that the police are constantly working and are making invaluable sacrifices for the people. He informed that 377 police personnel lost their lives in duty this year, including 11 officers from the State.

The Minister also remembered the role of police during the lockdown period and informed that 10 of them from the district lost their lives to the infection. Ongole MP Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy recollected the armed reserve constable Chappidi Venkata Ratnam, who sacrifice his life in a failed attempt to protect the former MP Magunta Subbarami Reddy, from the firing by Naxals in 1995. He said that the sacrifices of the Police department will not be forgotten by the Magunta family and announced that they would be always available to extend support to the department.

The SP Malika Garg explained that the Police Commemoration Day is observed to pay tributes to the brave policemen who confronted the Chinese Army at Aksai.

She lauded the sacrifices by Addanki Solomon Carney Wesley IPS, Greyhounds junior commanders Lella Shankar, Mota Anjaneyulu, ASI KP Prasanth Rao, AR constable Chappidi Venkata Rathnam, constable Sk Mohammad Rafi, from the Prakasam district.

Later, the minister handed over the ex-gratia cheques to the family members of the police personnel who died from the Covid-19, and compassionate appointments orders to one of the family members of the police personnel who died on duty for various reasons.

The Minister, MP, collector and SP flagged off the Police Martyrs Rally from the parade grounds to the RTC Bus Stand, with slogans hailing the martyrs. A similar rally was held in Chirala under the supervision of DSP P Srikanth and the police personnel raised slogans hailing the sacrifices of the martyrs.

Additional SP, B Ravi Chandra, OSD K Chowdeshwari, AR ASP T Sivareddy and other senior police officials also paid rich tributes to the police martyrs.