Fazilka remembers its saviours

Our Correspondent

Fazilka, December 17

Rich tributes were paid to the 218 bravehearts of the Indian Army, who sacrificed their lives defending Fazilka town in the 1971 Indo-Pak war, in a solemn programme held at the Asafwala War Memorial here today.

The martyrs are considered ‘Saviours of Fazilka’ by the area people.

Lieutenant General Alok Kler, GOC-in-C, South Western Command, and Lieutenant General Manoj Kumar Mago, GOC, Chetak Corps, laid wreaths at the sanctum sanctorum, where the ashes of the martyrs have been kept. The memorial has been raised at the site where the 218 soldiers were cremated collectively.

The programme was organised by the Shaheedon Ki Samadhi Committee, which has been managing the private memorial since 1972.

Lt Gen Kler lauded the efforts of the area people to raise a memorial. He said that such close coordination between local people, civil administration and the Army was a rare example for the entire nation to emulate.

He said the Army shall not allow any country to capture even a single inch of its land and shall defend the land at any cost. Kler also interacted with ‘veer naris’ and veterans at the memorial.