GANGTOK: Over 1000 bike riders rode from Rangpo to Pangthang above Gangtok to commemorate 125 years of Sikkim Police. The riders inclusive of various police officials, bike riders from different clubs were flagged off from Rangpo public ground by Upper Tadong constituency legislator GT Dhungel to take the 50 plus kilometres of ride along the NH 10.
The riding entourage then assembled at Sikkim Armed Police Camp in Pangthang were they were received and greeted by Urban Development Minister Arun Upreti, along with Sikkim Police DGP A. Sudhakar Rao, IGP Ruchika Rishi, Special DGP Akshay Sachdeva, DIG Special Branch Prawin Gurung and host of other dignitaries.
Superintendent of Police Gangtok District Tenzing Loden Lepcha and Superintendent of Police Pakyong District Siva Prasad Yellasiri were among the riders received by the dignitaries in Pangthang. The riders comprised of various biker clubs from Sikkim, riders from outside the State, different batallion of Sikkim Police including Sikkim traffic police, Sikkim Police, Indian Reserve Batallion and Sikkim Armed Police.
UDHD Minister Arun Upreti congratulated the Sikkim Police on their quasquicentennial anniversary. The Minister said, “I would like to congratulate Sikkim Police for their 125 years of service to Sikkim. I would like to thank the Sikkim Police as well as the riders assembled here today from different bike riders club for taking their time to celebrate the 125 years anniversary through this unique bike riding extravaganza starting from Rangpo to Pangthang here today”.
The Minister in his address highlighted how the State as well as the nation is in observance of Road Safety Week highlighting various safety features on the road. He said, “In India there are over 1 lakh cases annually of road accidents, the figures are comparatively less in Sikkim at a minimum of 200 road accidents per year. Sikkim roads and the traffic are quite well maintained when compared to other States or the nation. Immense gratitude for the same goes to the Traffic branch of Sikkim Police who have carried out their service over the years with diligence ensuring the safety of Sikkimese citizens plying on the National Highways and various State Highways”.
Upper Tadong legislator GT Dhungel prior to flagging off the riders, in his address, stated, “Sikkim Police is observing 125 years of service to Sikkim, to mark the occasion, Sikkim Police is carrying out celebration for the entire year of 2022 through various activities like essay writing, school level events, cultural functions and befittingly on road safety week, they are celebrating with the bike rally here today. They have been involving the Sikkimese public in their celebration as today they have invited various rider clubs which is praiseworthy. My own father was a police officer back in the erstwhile Chogyal regime famously known then as Dhungel OC. It is giving me nostalgia remembering how my father was also part of the Sikkim Police throughout his life. In his time, a single OC would cover an entire district and he was very strict about his duties. Police at that point worked as an RTO to even issuance of driving license, they were all in all in that era. The entire department was amalgamated at that time. But now Sikkim Police has gone through a lot of segregation of duties and their responsibilities have grown immensely in today’s time. Remembering my father, I have major attachment with Sikkim Police as well as love for the Sikkim Police force”.
The event at Pangthang as well as in Rangpo had addresses from various senior Sikkim Police officials including DGP A. Sudhakar Rao, Special DGP Akshay Sachdeva, DIG Special Branch Prawin Gurung and various other senior police officials.
All the riders who took part in the bike rally were handed certificates along with many Sikkim Police officials, drivers and others were felicitated on the occasion. Various bike clubs from Sikkim also took the podium to address the public as well as shared suggestions for better facilities to different riding fraternities in Sikkim including better parking space along with suggestions for better traffic management.