Police school staff making citations for cops killed in Punjab terrorism period

Teachers of Police DAV Schools drafting citations of 1,784 police officers and personnel killed fighting terrorists in 80s and 90s

Punjab police are in the process of drafting citations of 1,784 cops and officials killed during terrorism days in the state.

The decision to document the sacrifices made by police personnel was taken six months ago and teachers of Police DAV Schools across the state have voluntarily taken up the task. (HT File Photo, for representation only)

The decision to document the sacrifices made by police personnel was taken six months ago and teachers of Police DAV Schools across the state have voluntarily taken up the task. “Children of martyred cops may have passed out of the school, but the subject is sensitive and close to our hearts,” Rashmi Vij, manager of police-run schools, told HT. She is coordinating with Police DAV Schools in Patiala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Amritsar to get citations written by English and Punjabi teachers.

Vij said: “Police authorities sought our help for writing citations and were willing to pay, but teachers offered to do the work voluntarily. We are part of the police department and don’t want to earn extra money from the sacrifices made by our fellows,” she said.

“Police personnel from the rank of deputy inspector general to special police officers died fighting terrorism in Punjab, but there is no written record to tell the story of their valour,” said additional director general of police BK Uppal.

He said work of writing citations would compete by October-end after which these would be posted on Punjab Police website in form of an e-book.

Vij said all first information reports (FIRs) of the killing to cops were supplied to Police DAV Schools. Punjabi teachers read out contents of the FIRs to English teachers, who initially translated FIRs and then wrote a small piece in the form of a citation that speaks about their martyrdom, she added.