Ludhiana ACP Kohli’s bhog ceremony live-streamed on Facebook

52-year-old ACP Anil Kumar Kohli had succumbed to coronavirus last month; the bhog ceremony was organised by the police department

The Ludhiana police department on Sunday live-streamed the ‘bhog’ ceremony of assistant commissioner of police (ACP) Anil Kumar Kohli on Facebook.

Senior police officials speaking during the bhog ceremony of ACP Anil Kohli being held at Nav Durga Temple in Sarabha Nagar, Ludhiana, on Sunday. (HT Photo)

The ACP had succumbed to coronavirus last month. Director general of police (DGP) Dinkar Gupta also attended the ceremony that was organised at Nav Durga Temple, Sarabha Nagar, by the police department. Kohli’s 20 family members were also in attendance.

On the occasion, the DGP handed over the appointment letter to Kohli’s son Paras to join the police force as a sub-inspector. Hailing the former ACP’s sacrifice, DGP Gupta said, “ACP Kohli was the first police officer in the entire country to sacrifice his life in the fight against the coronavirus. Making arrangements at vegetable market was a dynamic task and the ACP did it with full dedication. He will always be remembered.”

“We join the police force to protect the society while fighting fight with criminals, terrorists, gangsters and other bad elements, but we had never thought that we would lose one of our officers to a pandemic,” he said.

Kohli served the department for 30 years. “He was an officer of good conduct and also a good human being. I have seen a picture of him while helping a young girl wear a shoe. It touched me,” said DGP Gupta, adding that they put their best efforts to save him, but could not succeed.

Police commissioner Rakesh Agrawal said the DGP also chaired a meeting with officers of Ludhiana police and coronavirus commandos. The police chief reviewed the situation of the city, first information reports lodged against lockdown violators, ration and food distribution process and the movement of trains plying to shift migrant workers to their home states.

Asking the officers to increase their work efficiency, he underlined the need to further intensify their efforts to ensure strict compliance of the coronavirus lockdown. Highlighting some violations of the ban on two-wheeler pillion riding, Gupta directed the police personnel to strictly enforce the ban and run special electronic and social media campaigns to educate people about social distancing guidelines.

Meanwhile, he also interacted with the volunteers deployed at Bharat Nagar Chowk and lauded them for working with utmost sincerity and dedication for the past two months without any remuneration.

FRONTLINE WARRIORS FELICITATED

To boost the morale of the police force and recognise the works done by frontline men and women, Gupta presented the ‘DGP’s Honour for Exemplary Seva to Society’ certificates to 11 personnel, including ADCP (headquarters) Deepak Pareek, who is the nodal officer for the coronavirus in the police commissionerate, Ludhiana. Focal Point station house officer inspector Mohd Jameel, and constables Sanjeev Kumar and Ajaib Singh were also felicitated for their outstanding services in the battle against the coronavirus.