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| Retired Brigadier pays homage to his Braveheart Battle comrade of Indo-Pak War 1971 | | |  Early Times Report
JAMMU, Mar 31: A septuagenarian, Brigadier Sukhbir Singh Malik (Retired) visited and paid homage to Second Lieutenant Ashok Prahladrao Mutgikar, his Battle Comrade of Indo-Pak War of 1971, at the Memorial of the latter in village Gajansoo of Tehsil Marh in Jammu District of the UT of J&K today morning. He has travelled all the way from Haryana with his wife Smt Madhu Malik and other family members.
Speaking to our correspondent after having paying his respects by laying a wreath and observing a two minutes silence with his family, the Brigadier said that he was feeling very nostalgic. He told that both he and Lieutenant Ashok then were in the same army unit 7 GRENADIERS. Lieutenant Ashok was then a 22 year old Young Officer who had got commissioned barely three months ago in September 1971 and Brigadier Malik was then a Captain with three years' service. The war broke out on 03 December and they received orders to advance into Pakistan on 06 December. He narrated that their unit was advancing in Infantry Combat Vehicles called BMPs. When they reached Chhanni Bajuan in Pakistan, they were severely attacked by enemy air and ground forces and unfortunately Lieutenant Ashok got a bullet. Though he was injured, he displayed no fear, was calm and smiling. He was seen firing at enemy aircraft with his machine gun. His determination and continued actions against the enemy aircraft were noteworthy. However, he fell at the Altar of Duty as a proud example of devotion to the nation.
Brigadier Malik then paid his respects at the spot where Lieutenant Ashok had been cremated. Thereafter he took his family to Talli Wali Mata which is barely a few hundred metres from the border. The significance of this was that this was approximately the same route that was undertaken by the Braveheart on that fateful day of 06 December 1971. Brigadier Malik finally said that his visit to Gajansoo Memorial has been like a pilgrimage. His son, Colonel Sandeep Malik daughter-in-law Smt Namita Malik also accompanied him. |
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