Home Minister Amit Shah visits CRPF headquarters in Delhi, pays tribute to martyrs

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday visited the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) headquarters in Delhi. He paid tributes to the martyred soldiers of the force who sacrificed their lives during the 1965 Indo-Pakistan war. Taking to Twitter, Amit Shah wrote: "In the counter-attack of our brave CRPF jawans on 'Sardar Post', 34 Pakistani soldiers were killed and four were captured alive. Eight of our CRPF soldiers were also martyred in this war. This war holds a unique place in our history full of the indomitable courage of Indian soldiers, which inspires everyone."

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"It is necessary to know the glorious history of 'Sardar Post' located on the Indo-Pakistan border in Kutch, to every Indian, especially the young generation today. On April 9 1965, the entire Infantry Brigade of Pakistan attacked the Sardar Post, which only two companies of our CRPF failed and retaliated," Amit Shah added.

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Valour of CRPF, a glorious chapter

During the 1965 Indo-Pakistan war, the fight-back by the CRPF, which was posted for border guarding duties that time, is mentioned as one of the glorious chapters in the military history of India when only two companies (about 150 personnel) of the CRPF stood their ground and repulsed the Pakistani attack. The force was tasked to secure Sardar Post seeing the aggressive posturing of the other side and the location was at a flat area that was tactically disadvantageous. On the intervening night of April 8 and 9, 3,500 men of 51st Infantry Brigade of Pakistan and comprising 18 Punjab Battalion, eight Frontier Rifles and six Baluch Battalion stealthily launched a simultaneous assault on the Sardar and Tak Posts under an operation codenamed "Desert Hawk". The fight lasted for 12 hours during which the enemy made three attempts to overrun the post but was repulsed with heavy casualties by some dare-devil action by the paramilitary men. The retaliation by the CRPF men saw the numerically and armament superior Pakistan retreating the areas and leaving behind 34 bodies of their soldiers including two officers. Four Pakistani soldiers were taken as hostages while six CRPF men made the supreme sacrifice and the post was saved.

(With PTI inputs)

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