Police Memorial at Hot Springs…
A valiant tale of brave policemen in Ladakh
Vivek Kumar Pandey
Few incidents shape us as a person, as a society and as a nation. For our country, which got independence in 1947 and which was in the midst of transformation in almost all spheres was shocked to hear the sacrifice of 10 courageous Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel in the year 1959. It is one among the stories of the brave hearts of the Police fraternity which changed the horizon of the way Policemen in the country were earlier thought of.
Not many people knowing that it was the Police personnel who were responsible for manning the 2,500 Kms long northern borders of India with Tibet until the autumn of 1959. At a height of 15,300 feet above the sea level in the month of October in sub zero temperatures at Hot Springs in Ladakh, 10 policemen were martyred in an unequal combat with heavily armed Chinese Forces.
On 20 October 1959, three reconnaissance (Recce) parties were launched from Hot Springs in North Eastern Ladakh in preparation for further movement of an Indian expedition which was on its way to Lanak La. While members of two parties returned to Hot Springs by the afternoon of that day, the third one comprising of two Police Constables namely Sonam Dorjey, Mohd Khalil and a local did not return. Karam Singh sent out a larger team of ten policemen to go out and look for the three lost men who returned at 2300 hours on that same night without getting any clue about the missing party. But interestingly, they had discovered hoof -prints on the ground which was proof of Chinese soldiers presence in the area.
The CRPF men who suffered casualties, fought bravely and killed many Chinese soldiers in the gun battle. Unfortunately, due to fire sounds all around, ponies and yaks of the CRPF party carrying ammunition etc ran away and fighting with left out bullets became very difficult indeed.
For Karam Singh and the other prisoners the tragedy had just begun. Five of them were made to carry the the injured Constable Makhan Lal. Karam Singh and party carried Makhan till few distance but the Chinese later on asked them to leave Constable Makhan Lal. This was the last time when bullet wounded Makhan Lal was last seen and later he was presumed to be martyred. In the captivity, Karam Singh and 5 other men were all put together in a pit six feet deep, seven feet wide and fifteen feet long, normally used for storing vegetables. It was covered with a tarpaulin which left several openings through which the ice-cold breezes penetrated. They had to spend the night on the frozen ground without any covering. No water for drinking was provided nor they were permitted to ease themselves during the night and the following day. For the first three or four days, they were given only dry bread to eat. In such inhuman treatment, frostbite had started to set in due to the extreme cold. On 24 October, Karam Singh was shown the corpses of the Indian policemen killed during the gunfire and asked to identify them. Then for the next many days, he was tortured along with the others to make him admit that the Indians had opened fire and precipitated the skirmish, which he didn’t. The interrogation continued on the 27 and 28 October.
On 29 October, along with Karam Singh, his 5 fellow prisoners, and the three earlier captured (2 constables and 1 porter) were released together by the Chinese. The body of Constable Makhan Lal was never returned and remained unacknowledged by the Chinese. The last time he was seen was where the Chinese had forced Karam Singh and his men to leave his wounded body on the bank of the Chang Chenmo River under the protection of Chinese soldiers. He was most likely neglected and died of his wounds but there are no confirmations of this ruthless act on the part of the Chinese.
New Delhi got the news of the surrender of Karam Singh and his group of survivors under devastating Chinese fire on 22 October, a day after the tragedy. On 23 October, the Ministry of External Affairs submitted a note of protest to the Chinese Ambassador in Delhi. However, on the inside, Prime Minister Nehru and the Army Commanders had immediately come to realize that the region could not be left to the IB and police alone, and army definitely needed to step in. Two days later, from October 25 onwards, the Indian outposts in the region began receiving reinforcements and medical assistance through field units and other garrisons.
The annual conference of Inspectors General of Police of states and Union Territories held in January 1960 decided that 21 October would, henceforth, be observed as Commemoration Day in all Police Lines throughout India to mark the memory of these gallant men who were killed in Ladakh and to mark the memory of these gallant men who were killed in Ladakh and all other police personnel killed on duty during the year. It was also decided to erect a memorial at Hot Springs. Every year, members of police forces from different parts of the country trek to Hot Springs Martyr’s Memorial to pay homage to those gallant martyrs.
The Intelligence Bureau (IB) organizes the Police Commemoration Day tribute program in New Delhi as well. National Police Martyr’s Memorial has been constructed in Chanakyapuri where Hon’ble Union Home Minister visit to pay floral tribute to the martyrs on National Police Martyr’s Remembrance Day on 21 October each year. Force flags and representatives of all police forces in the country gather and pay homage to the brave hearts.
Salute to brave soldiers ...thanks for enlighten me.
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing read sir, quite breathtaking and we'll written.
ReplyDeleteThis is a story that neefs to be told in mainstream media and people should give the credit that these honourable men deserve.
Shaurya dredhta karm nishtha!
I'll join the force too.