90 riders to join ‘Fight Against Drugs’ rally
New Delhi: Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah will pay homage to police martyrs on Police Commemoration Day at the National Police Memorial in New Delhi on Wednesday, October 21, 2026.
The Home Minister will also flag off a nationwide motorcycle rally themed ‘Fight Against Drugs’, featuring around 90 police riders from various states and Union Territories, Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and central police organisations.
The riders will represent Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi, besides the CRPF, CISF, BSF, SSB, ITBP and NSG, as well as the Railway Protection Force (RPF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and National Investigation Agency (NIA).
As part of the nationwide rally, police riders from all states and Union Territories and central forces will reach Ekta Nagar in Gujarat to participate in the Ekta Parade on October 31, 2026, an official statement said.
Police Commemoration Day is observed every year on October 21 to honour police personnel who laid down their lives in the line of duty. On October 21, 1959, 10 valiant policemen were killed in an ambush by heavily armed Chinese troops at Hot Springs in Ladakh.
In recognition of the sacrifices made by police personnel and their vital role in safeguarding national security and integrity, Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated the National Police Memorial (NPM) in Chanakyapuri, New Delhi, to the nation on Police Commemoration Day in 2018.
The memorial seeks to instil a sense of national identity, pride, unity of purpose and shared history among police forces while reinforcing their commitment to protecting the nation, even at the cost of their lives.
It comprises a central sculpture, the ‘Wall of Valour’ and a museum. The 30-foot-high granite monolith cenotaph symbolises the strength, resilience and selfless service of police personnel, while the Wall of Valour bears the names of martyrs who have laid down their lives in the line of duty since Independence. The museum showcases the history and evolution of policing in India.
The memorial is regarded as a place of reverence for police personnel and citizens alike. It remains open to the public on all days except Mondays. The CAPFs organise band displays, parades and retreat ceremonies at the memorial every Saturday and Sunday evening, beginning an hour before sunset.
As in previous years, Police Commemoration Day will be observed across the country on October 21. The main function will be held at the National Police Memorial, where a joint parade of the CAPFs and Delhi Police will be organised, with Shah presiding over the event.
The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Members of Parliament with a police background, heads of CAPFs and central police organisations, retired directors general of police, members of the police fraternity and other dignitaries will also attend the event and pay tribute to the martyrs by laying wreaths.
Apart from paying homage to the police martyrs, Shah will address the gathering. The programme will conclude with the Home Minister laying a wreath at the altar dedicated to the martyrs of Hot Springs.
The event will be telecast live on Doordarshan, webcast on police websites and covered by All India Radio and other media organisations.
As part of the commemorative activities, CAPFs and central police organisations will organise programmes at the National Police Memorial from October 22 to 30. These will include visits by family members of martyrs, police band displays, motorcycle rallies, the Run for Martyrs, blood donation camps, essay and painting competitions for children, and screenings of video films highlighting the sacrifices, valour and service of police personnel.
Similar programmes will be organised by police forces across the country during the period, the statement added.
