By News Agency of Kashmir
Jammu : “Stage is set for 3rd All India Police Martyrs Hockey Tournament starting from March 1st 2008 at K. K. Hakoo Stadium Jammu. Fourteen teams from and outside the state are participating in the tournament,” This was stated by Director General of Police Kuldeep Khoda in a press conference here on Friday.
Khuda said that All India Police Martyrs Hockey Tournament was started way back in 1998 at Srinagar and as a regular feature of sports activities of Jammu and Kashmir police and later the tournament was also started at Jammu in 2006.
Besides two teams of our state 12 reputed hockey teams from other states are participating in this event. All arrangements have been put in place for smooth conduct of this national sports event. DGP hoped that the hockey players of Jammu and Kashmir police would put their best in this tournament and prove their mettle.
“Jammuites and spectators from other parts will witness an extra- ordinary sports event during the 5-day hockey tournament,” Khoda said. He said Jammu and Kashmir police, Jammu and Kashmir Hockey Association and Indian Hockey Federation were jointly holding the event.
Enumerating the achievements of Jammu and Kashmir Police in sports activities, the DGP said “two jawans Sajjad Hyder and Ram Singh have been selected for expedition of Mount Everest while as Sub-Inspector Rashid Hussain participated in world Fencing Championship at Peters Borg and has been selected for pre Olympic Qualifying Fencing Championship. He referred to medal tally of JKP players under Golf, Rafting, Boxing, Wu-Shu, Hockey, Wrestling and Water Sports and said that they had won 4 Gold, 6 Silver and 11 Bronze medals in these events.
Replying to the queries by the media Khoda said that various welfare programmes for the dependents of police martyrs had been initiated by the police department and every family of a martyred jawan was given Rs 13.50 lakh as ex-gratia. He said that JKP was running two police public schools for providing free education to the wards of martyred police personnel and adding that two hostels were being constructed during the currant financial year. He said acknowledging the sacrifices of police personnel for integrity of the nation and maintaining communal harmony, the Jammu and Kashmir Police was taking all moral responsibility to take every care of the dependents of the martyred police personnel. He sought active cooperation of media for due coverage of the tournament.