Havildar Abdul Hamid’s 55th death anniv to be a low-key affair
TARN TARAN The annual event to observe the death anniversary of Param Vir Chakra awardee Havildar Abdul Hamid at Asal Uttar village of Bhikhiwind sub-division will be a low-key affair on September 9 this year due to pandemic. This year, it will be 55th death anniversary of Abdul Hamid, who was awarded Param Vir Chakra posthumously after he destroyed six Pakistani Patton tanks in the 1965 war at the village. This will be the first time that there will be no fair and sports meet in memory of the martyr at the village since 1970.
On Monday, an Akhand Path Sahib (uninterrupted recitation of Guru Granth Sahib) was organised by the villagers at the village and the Bhog of the path will be held on September 9.
“We had sought permission for organising the fair and sports events in memory of Hamid, but district administration declined,” said Amritbir Singh Bittu, chairman of the Shaheed Abdul Hamid Memorial Committee in Asal Uttar.
He said, “On September 9, people will be allowed to pay tributes to the martyr, taking full care of social distancing norms.” He said a team of
Indian Army’s Golden Arrow division has started making preparations for the occasion.
Sources said this year the army didn’t send invitations to dignitaries and ex-servicemen for the event due to the pandemic. “It will be a low-key affair this year,” said an army spokesperson.
Patti sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Rajesh Sharma confirmed that there were no formal invitations from the army this year.
Sardool Singh (82) of the village said had Abdul Hamid not fought valorously, Asal Uttar, which is around 8 km from the India-Pakistan border, would have been under the control of Pakistan. “He is not only our hero, but we consider him the village’s son also,” he said.