Once A Kargil Hero And Vir Chakra, Head Constable Satpal Singh Is Now Managing Traffic At A Small Punjab Town
Today is Kargil Vijay Diwas and the whole country is remembering the heroes who successfully battled the Pakistan Army in 1999. One such hero is Satpal Singh who was part of the team that helped the Indian Army capture Tiger Hill. Satpal was discharged from the Army in 2009 after completion of his service and joined Punjab Police.
Today is Kargil Vijay Diwas and the whole country is remembering the heroes who successfully battled the Pakistan Army in 1999. One such hero is Satpal Singh, who was part of the team that helped the Indian Army capture Tiger Hill, a report in the Indian Express said. 20 years on, Head Constable Satpal Singh is seen at a road intersection in Bhawanigarh, a small town in Punjab's Sangrur district managing traffic. He appears to be a normal traffic policeman but after closer inspection of his uniform, he wears four rows of medal ribands of which one is half blue-half orange, the Vir Chakra.
Indian Express Photo
Vir Chakra is an Indian gallantry award presented for acts of bravery on the battlefield.
In 1999, Satpal Singh was a Sepoy, fighting Pakistan Army's counter-attacks on Tiger Hill in which he killed Captain Karnal Sher Khan of the Northern Light Infantry and three others.
Pakistan's highest gallantry award Nishan-e-Haider was conferred upon Sher Khan after Indian brigade commander recommended the same for him.
Satpal was part of the 8 Sikh team of two officers, four (Junior commissioned officer) JCOs and 46 ORs (other ranks), tasked to help the 19 Grenadiers capture Tiger Hill.
"We had reached out position by the evening of July 5, 1999. It was bitterly cold and all we had with us were the clothes we were wearing. Either we could carry extra woollens or extra arms and ammunition. The choice was obvious," recalls Satpal, now 46, as quoted to as saying by the Indian Express.
Satpal was discharged from the Army in 2009 after completion of his service. On 2010, he joined Punjab Police. Satpal still feels he made a wrong decision and rues that he did not get any weightage for his Vir Chakra.
Despite everything, Satpal is thankful that he is alive. "Sportspersons winning medals are also given higher ranks¡ I killed a man who was awarded Pakistan¡¯s highest gallantry award. Anyway, God is kind. He kept me alive. I just feel bad for my unemployed post-graduate son," he said.
Kargil Vijay Diwas, named after the successful Operation Vijay, is celebrated in the country on 26 July. On this date in 1999, India successfully took command of the high outposts which had been lost to Pakistan.
