Women folk also turned up to take part in the celebration, helping to prepare capati.
SERVING and retired Sikh policemen in Negri Sembilan celebrated the 215th Police Day by holding prayers and dishing up vegetarian meals at the Gurdwara Sahib Seremban.
Event co-organising member Inder Singh Arjan Singh said some 40 families of former and serving policemen joined hands to organise the event, which was also held to strengthen ties and foster a spirit of camaraderie.
“This year’s Police Day celebration was extra special as we are doing it after a two-year break due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“It was great to meet up with retired policemen including those who came from other districts in the state, as well as the families of those who had passed on,” he said.
Inder said the event started with the families and volunteers gathering at the gurdwara (temple) at 5.30am to prepare guru-ka-langgar or vegetarian meals.
There was one prayer session around 6.30am which ended around 8am, and the second which started at 9.30am and ended around noon.
Some 200 people attended the prayers where an array of traditional Punjabi fare such as capati, lentil curry, sweet pudding, mixed vegetables and other dishes were served to the congregation.
Inder said this time around, the committee provided lunch to an orphanage with some 70 residents.
“Our volunteers sent the food to the home during lunch time and told them it was a treat from us in conjunction with Police Day.”
He said families of serving and retired cops chipped in to share the cost for the event.
The members also got together to cut a cake at the end of the event to mark Police Day.
Inder said the oldest retiree who attended was in his early 80s while the youngest serving member was in his 20s.
He said the event was also to bring the families of serving and retired cops closer.
“After the event, we decided to set up a WhatsApp group to keep in touch.
“This way, we will also be able to look into the welfare of all Sikh policemen, especially the families of those who have passed on,” said Inder, who served in the Police Field Force and spent the first 10 years in the jungles of Sarawak.
He added that members also planned to hold a Family Day in the near future.
