Yesterday was a day of celebration, which marks the remembrance of fallen Police Heroes who have valiantly sacrificed their lives throughout a period of 154 years in order to protect and preserve the lives and property of Sri Lankan citizens.
On March 21, 1864, in Utuwankanda area at Mawanella, Kegalle District, during a mission to apprehend a bandit named Deekiri Kewage Saradiyel, Police Constable Sanhan succumbed to injuries sustained by a gunshot fired by an accomplice of Saradiyel named Mammale Marikkar. Based on this incident, which took the life of Police Constable Sabhan, March 21 of each year has been named as the Police Heroes’ Day.
The Police Service marks its inception in 1796 with the strength of 28 Police Constables and since then it was functioning under the leadership of Superintendent of Police Austin in 1833 and under the leadership of Superintendent of Police Robinson Campbell in 1863. In the history of police, it has been written that the Police Force was established on September 3, 1866, with the appointment of George William Robinson Campbell as the first Inspector General of Police with a strength of 585 police officers subsequent to the enactment of the Ordinance No. 16 of 1865.
It was even two years before the establishment of Police Force with the legal authority that Police Constable Sabhan had breathed his last with a patriotic fervour driven solely by the intention of ensuring law and order. The objective of the celebration of Police Heroes’ Day is to commemorate all the Police heroes who not only sacrificed their lives, became disabled but also shed their sweat and blood during the past 154 years to defend law and order by protecting lives and property of the people. Further, there are many incidents during which the police officers had to sacrifice not only their lives but also those of their family members while ensuring law and order, traffic management, prevention of crimes and guaranteeing the democratic rights of citizens.
Since then, all those deceased officers have dedicated the days of their life for the benefit of our present day and for posterity. We should never forget that the freedom we enjoy today has been earned at the expense of their valuable lives.
Prevention of crimes
We can never underestimate the service rendered by the police officers who had jeopardized their lives to serve the general public. It is not just because they are duty bound that they keep a watchful eye on your child to ensure his safe passage on the road while having someone else to chaperone their own children to schools. The police officers keep vigil both day and night, in the sun and rain denying themselves the common luxuries while allowing us to enjoy them. Police Officers are always dedicated towards the prevention of crimes and to bringing about a peaceful and placid atmosphere within the country.
Even recently, a number of such incidents have been reported. P. S. 24330 Sarath Premachandra, who was the officer in charge of the security of the High Court Judge, Illanchalian was shot dead on 21.07.2017. (His wife was a former Woman Police Constable and now she had been reinstated.) A Police Inspector was critically injured and Police Constable 49446 Chaminda Abeywickrama succumbed to injuries due to the gunshots fired at the car in which a team of officers of the Police Narcotic Bureau remained during a drug raid in Piliyandala area. In addition, Police Constable 5355 Prasanna Wejebandara Godagama was killed by a trap-gun set by an unknown person while he was raiding a cannabis chena in Monaragala area on 21.02.2018. These are just a few incidents and police officers shall never be deterred from serving at the risk of their lives for the Sri Lankan community to live in a peaceful country without fear of crimes.
3118 officers of various ranks have sacrificed their lives to preserve the dignity of Sri Lanka Police which has progressed amidst all these troubles and tribulations. That number includes 2598 officers who had demised due to terrorist activities, 395 officers due to untoward incidents. In addition, 1464 officers due to terrorist activities, 57 officers due to violent activities during 1988-89 years, eight officers due to untoward incidents have become disabled. 15 officers have been left permanently disabled.
Welfare activities
In recognition of the service rendered by the Police Officers sacrificing their lives, Sri Lanka Police is constantly dedicated to providing the necessary services to the relatives of the demised officers through all the police stations and offices by discharging police duties with a great sense of responsibility not only at present but also in future.
In addition, many welfare activities for the benefit of the family members of Police Heroes are being carried out at present and it has been planned to implement many programmes in future as well. Only an officer who is patriotic and valiant and has been properly trained can claim the right to undertake the glorious and sacred mission of protecting lives and property, ensuring peace, law, security and progress of the country and society. Further, only the men of such calibre will lay down their lives for their duties.
Police officers will perform their enduring mission with indomitable courage in years to come as they are doing today and have been doing so far, despite being separated from their parents, wives, children and their near and dear ones.
Dear Police Hero, when the sun emerges from the East coast and dissolves into the golden hues of the horizon in the West, you reside in our hearts forever even though you remain out of sight and your voice unheard. We shall swear to serve at the risk of our lives to make your dream a reality by ensuring the security of this country in which the blood you have shed is eternally enshrined. You shall be etched in our hearts forever.
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