CHENNAI: Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay paid floral tributes at the Police Memorial at the Tamil Nadu Police Headquarters in Chennai on Police Commemoration Day and handed over Rs 5.96 crore in insurance assistance to families of police personnel who died in service.

Police Commemoration Day is observed every year on October 21, in memory of ten Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel killed in an ambush by heavily armed Chinese troops in Hot Springs, Ladakh, on October 21, 1959. The day also honours police personnel across the country who sacrificed their lives in the line of duty.

At the commemorative event held at the police headquarters on Wednesday, the Chief Minister laid a wreath at the memorial, observed a moment of silence, and received the ceremonial guard of honour from the police contingent. He also planted a sapling on the premises to mark the occasion.

As part of the state government's welfare measures, the Chief Minister distributed orders sanctioning personal accident insurance under the Government Salary Package Scheme to seven families. The beneficiaries include families of six police personnel who died while on duty and the family of one policeman who is currently in a coma, totalling Rs 5.96 crore.

Officials said 154 police personnel across India, including six from Tamil Nadu, attained martyrdom while on duty this year.

Home Secretary A Karthik, DGP Mahesh Kumar Agarwal, Chennai Police Commissioner A Amalraj, retired police officers and families of martyred personnel were present.