Hyderabad: Homage would be paid here Wednesday to 596 policemen killed by extremists since 1969 in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Left-wing extremists had targeted cops mainly in Warangal, Karimnagar, Adilabad, Vizag, Srikakulam, Mahbubnagar, and Guntur.
A majority of the victims were below SI rank. Tributes would be paid to them marking Police Commemoration Day on Wednesday.
According to Andhra Pradesh police officials, no police official was killed in the state by left extremists this year. However, assistant sub inspector R. Siddaiah from Chittoor district, who was a part of the 104 BSF battalion, was injured in an IED blast and exchange of fire in Chitrakonda district in August.
In Telangana, four cops had been killed when they clashed with suspected SIMI activists in Nalgonda in April. The militants attacked police in Suryapet and Janakipuram in a space of two days. Four other cops were also injured in the attack.
As per the government rule in Andhra Pradesh, the family of a constable, assistant sub inspector or sub inspector killed by militants/extremists would get an ex gratia of Rs 25 lakh.
The ex gratia would be Rs 30 lakh if the martyr's rank is above that of inspector. Injured police personnel would get an ex-gratia of Rs 10. lakh in case of permanent incapacitation.
The Telangana government also provides similar benefits to the martyrs’ families. However, the Telangana police has now sent a request to the state government to increase the ex gratia to Rs 40 lakh for killed officers up to the rank of head constables, Rs 45 lakh for SIs, Rs 50 lakh for inspectors, and one crore for Indian Police Service (IPS) officials.
