Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday, November 6, presented the prestigious President's Police Colour to the Uttarakhand Police at a ceremony at the Reserve Police Lines in Dehradun, making it the 16th police or paramilitary force in the country to receive the nation's highest policing honour, ANI reported.

Source: ANI via DevDiscourse

"Today, the Uttarakhand Police has been awarded the 'President's Police Colour'. It has become the 16th police or paramilitary force in the country to receive this honour. For all the personnel and officers — past and present — who have served in the Uttarakhand Police over the 25 years since the state's inception, this is a moment of immense pride," Shah said at the ceremony, which Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami also attended.

Source: ANI via DevDiscourse

16thPolice or paramilitary force in India to receive the President's Police Colour
25 yearsSince Uttarakhand's creation in November 2000 and the force's formation
206Uttarakhand Police personnel who have died in the line of duty, paid tribute at the ceremony
3 yearsShah's assurance: conviction within three years for FIRs registered after May 2027

A three-year conviction assurance

Addressing the gathering, Shah gave a major assurance on criminal-justice delivery: "Today, on behalf of the Government of Uttarakhand, I wish to assure the people of Devbhoomi: for any FIR registered after May 2027, the Uttarakhand Police will ensure that the accused are brought to justice and sentenced — all within a span of three years." Nation Press reported the target will require digitally linking police stations, courts, prosecution and forensic units under the three new criminal laws in force since July 1, 2024.

Source: ANI via DevDiscourse

Medals, a postal cover and a growing force

Shah, who inspected the police parade before presenting the Colour, also gave the President's Medal for Distinguished Service to retired Inspector General of Police Narayan Singh Naplachyal and Chief Fire Officer Vansh Bahadur Yadav, and the Medal for Meritorious Service to Superintendent of Police Jagdish Chandra, Assistant Commandant Pratima Bhatt and retired Sub-Inspector (Intelligence) Sauhakar Pundir, Nation Press reported. Shah and Dhami jointly released a special postal cover and a police journal to mark the occasion.

Source: Nation Press

The Home Minister noted the force has grown from roughly 13,000 personnel at its inception to more than 26,000 today, and praised its crowd management and security work for the Char Dham Yatra, the Kumbh Mela and Hemkunt Sahib, which draw millions of pilgrims and tourists to the Himalayan state every year. He also congratulated the force's athletes on winning 37 medals at the World Police and Fire Games, Nation Press reported.

Source: Nation Press