Tribute paid to martyr Navpal Sidhu

Our Correspondent

Abohar, December 30

Braving intense cold wave on Monday, hundreds of people paid tribute to Captain Navpal Singh Sidhu on his 17th Balidan Diwas at his memorial located outside his native village 40 RB in Sriganganagar district (Rajasthan).

Subedar GS Khansare from 19 Maratha Light Infantry laid a wreath at the memorial. He read out a message from Col Abhijit Bhamre. Sub-divisional Magistrate Subhash Chaudhary was present on behalf of the state government. He said the border district was proud of Navpal’s sacrifice for the country.

Rotary Club president Prof Lakhwinder Singh, Kalpataru Power Transmission Limited senior executive Nitesh Goyal and gurdwara chief Sewadar Hari Singh Khalsa also paid tribute.

Rotary Club organised a blood donation camp. The blood will be used to save patients suffering from thalassemia.

Students from Navpal’s alma mater Government Senior Secondary School in Padampur village raised the slogan “Jab tak suraj chand rahega, Navpal tera naam rahega”.

Navpal was martyred in 2002 after he gunned down three PoK-trained terrorists in Surankote area of Poonch region in Jammu and Kashmir. He was awarded Shaurya Chakra posthumously.

Navpal’s father Lieutenant Col Agyapal Singh Sidhu (retd) had led the offensive against the Pakistani Army in the 1965 and 1971 wars. He, along with Shaheed Navpal Trust secretary Ghanshyam Harwani and martyr’s brother Rajpal Singh Sidhu, thanked the people for remembering Navpal.