Major Shankla’s statue unveiled in Panchkula

Tribune News Service
Panchkula, July 9

Panchkula MLA Gian Chand Gupta unveiled the statue of Major Sandeep Shankla at AWHO Society in Sector 20 here today.

The statue has been set up by the Panchkula Municipal Corporation in memory of the martyr, who died fighting for the unity and integrity of the country.

It is pertinent to mention here that on August 8, 1991, Major Shankla’s battalion, 18 Dogra, carried out a search and cordon operation at Zafarkhani village in Kupwara district. A soldier was injured in the crossfire with terrorists and Major Shankla, unmindful of the enemy fire, crawled out to drag him to safety, killing a terrorist. The terrorists then lobbed two grenades at the officer, of which one he hurled back at them, sustaining splinter and bullet injuries in the process. But he kept fighting till he lost consciousness.

The operation had resulted in the elimination of nine terrorists and apprehension of 22. He was posthumously awarded with the Ashok Chakra, the highest peacetime gallantry award.

Addressing the gathering of Army officers and their families, Gian Chand Gupta said by setting up the statue, the Municipal Corporation had paid tributes to the martyr who made the city proud by sacrificing his life in the line of duty. Major Sandeep Shankla was a resident of Panchkula and he had laid down his life for the unity and integrity of the country.