Bareilly: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath attended a ceremony honouring 68,000 village watchmen, known as Gram Praharis, at the Reserve Police Lines in Bareilly. The event recognised their contribution to rural security, crime prevention and strengthening the police information network across the state.
The ceremony was attended by Finance and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna, Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development Minister Dharam Pal Singh, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Cooperation J.P.S. Rathore, and Minister of State for Sugarcane Development and Sugar Mills Sanjay Singh Gangwar.
Other dignitaries present included Bareilly MP Chhatrapal Singh Gangwar, Rajya Sabha MP Shruti Gangwar, MLAs Raghavendra Sharma, Sanjeev Agarwal, D.C. Verma and M.P. Arya, Legislative Council members Bahoran Lal Maurya and Kunwar Maharaj Singh, and Bareilly Mayor Umesh Gautam, along with other public representatives.
The programme highlighted the role of village watchmen in maintaining law and order in rural areas. Gram Praharis serve as an important link between local communities and the police, helping strengthen the flow of information, support crime prevention efforts and improve security at the village level.
The recognition was aimed at acknowledging their dedication, sense of duty and commitment to public service. Their role is considered significant in supporting police administration and identifying emerging law-and-order concerns in rural communities.
The event underscored the importance of strengthening village-level security mechanisms and recognising grassroots personnel who contribute to public safety. The broader objective is to promote safer villages, stronger communities and improved coordination between residents and law enforcement agencies.
