Services of home guards indispensable to police: SP

Several community activities mark 56th Raising Day of special wing

At the ready: Home guards performing ‘salami shastra’ at a parade during the 56th Raising Day celebrations, in Kurnool on Thursday.

The 56th Raising Day celebrations of home guards on Thursday saw senior police officials hailing the wing as the backbone of the police.

In Tirupati Urban district, Superintendent of Police K.K.N. Anburajan inspected a guard of honour by the guards and called them the ‘social wing’ of the police that acted as its interface with society.

“In Tirupati, you have to deal with pilgrims courteously. Home guards help with that,” he said.

Mementoes were presented to participants of sports and games, while certificates were presented to meritorious employees.

Additional Superintendents of Police Rajeswara Reddy (Administration) and P. Anil Babu (Law & Order), and Police Training College (Kalyani Dam) Principal Suryabhaskar Reddy took part.

Blood donation camp

In Kadapa, the guards took out a rally from the parade grounds around the city.

Superintendent of Police Abhishek Mohanty offered support for their welfare and advised them to make use of insurance policies and government schemes to ensure their families’ safety and security.

He said the guards functioned on a par with the regular police during bandobust duties and allied services.

Mr. Mohanty extolled the police band members and presented cash rewards to excelling staff.

Meanwhile, Additional Superintendent of Police A. Srinivasa Reddy inaugurated a blood donation camp in which 31 guards donated blood.

ASP (Operations) B. Lakshminarayana also took part.

Unique distinction

In Chittoor, Superintendent of Police (SP) Vikrant Patil inspected a guard of honour by the guards at the Police Parade Grounds.

Mr. Patil said that for the first time in the country, more than 40 home guards worked at an information technology wing of a department, in the district.

He said the guards had been working as a bridge between the police and people by solving problems in initial stages. Though conceived in 1946, the home guards system assumed greater significance in 1963 when it was organised as a community service organisation. Subsequently, guards have played a major role in dealing with crime.

Later, Mr. Patil presented mementos and certificates to the guards who excelled at a sports meet.

Additional SP E. Supraja, Deputy SPs K. Kesappa, N.T.V. Ramkumar, Subba Rao and I. Ramakrishna were present.

Orphanage visit

In Kurnool, SP K. Fakeerappa inspected a guard of honour by the guards and distributed appreciation letters and rewards to officials.

Lauding services of the guards, Mr. Fakeerappa said they were making their contribution to society by serving in various wings of the police and other government departments.

The guards took out a rally from the District Police Headquarters to the Old Control Room, via the II Town Police Station.

Later, officials distributed food at an orphanage near the G. Pulla Reddy College.

Additional SPs Madhava Reddy and I. Venkatesh, home guards Commandant N. Chandramouli and Legal Advisor Mallikarjuna Rao took part.