India-Pakistan 1971 Longewala war hero Bhairon Singh Rathore is no more. 81-year-old Bhairon Singh Rathore was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Jodhpur since 14 December. He was admitted to Jodhpur All India Institute of Medical Sciences Jodhpur after complaining of chest pain and fever, where he died yesterday.
According to the BSF, the mortal remains of Naik Bhairon Singh Rathore, the hero of the Longewala war, were brought from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jodhpur to the Auxiliary Training Center, Border Security Force, Jodhpur campus. Here he was given a guard of honour. After this, tribute was paid on the mortal remains by the Director General of Border Security Force and all the border guards.
Funeral will be held in the ancestral village Solankia Tala, about 100 km from Jodhpur. The mortal remains of Naik Bhairon Singh Rathore have been kept at the Assistant Training Center, Border Security Force, Jodhpur for public viewing. The mortal remains of Naik Bhairon Singh will be taken by road to his native village, Solankia Tala Shergarh, Jodhpur, tomorrow, 20 December 2022, at 09 am, where he will be cremated with full respect.
The war hero’s bravery was essayed by actor Sunil Shetty in film the Bollywood movie ‘Border’
“The braveheart took his last breath at AIIMS, Jodhpur, today. DG BSF and all ranks condole the passing of Naik (retd) Bhairon Singh, Sena Medal, the hero of the Longewala battle during the 1971 war. BSF salutes his intrepid bravery, courage and dedication towards his duty,” the force said in a tweet.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed grief over his death.
“Naik (retd) Bhairon Singh Ji will be remembered for his service to our nation. He showed great courage at a crucial point in our nation’s history. Saddened by his passing away. My thoughts are with his family in this hour of sadness. Om Shanti,” Modi tweeted.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah,remembered his meeting with the braveheart during his visit to Jaisalmer in December last year. Describing him as a “brave warrior of the 1971 war”, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also expressed sadness.
Deployed at the Longewala post in the Thar desert of Jaisalmer, during 1971 Indo-Pak war, Bhairon Singh Rathore showed exemplary braveness while commanding a small BSF unit of six to seven personnel that was accompanied by a 120 men company of the Army’s 23 Punjab regiment.
The small group of men, with their scarce resources at hand, decimated a Pakistani brigade and tank regiment on December 5, 1971. When one of the 23 Punjab boys was killed, Lance Naik Bhairon Singh took his light machine gun and inflicted heavy casualties on the advancing enemy.
Bhairon Singh Rathore received the Sena Medal in 1972. He retired from service as a Naik in 1987.
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