Excelsior Correspondent
POONCH, Nov 22: Senior Army and retired officers and soldiers paid homage to some top Army Generals who were killed in air crash in a function held at Generals’ Memorial here today.
General Officer Commanding Ace of Spades Division laid wreath at the memorial along with other officers at the Memorial where functions was organised by Nangi Tekri Battalion. The GOC also planted a sapling of silver oak tree at the site. The ceremony was also attended by commander of Krishna Ghati brigade and other dignitaries from the local army and BSF units. The ex-servicemen of Jallas and Salotri area also attended the function and paid homage to the departed souls.
It may be recalled that on November 22, 1963, Lt Gen Daulat Singh GOC-in-C of Western Command, Air Vice Marshall E W Pinto Air Officer Commanding of Western Air Command, Lt Gen Bikram Singh GOC 15 Corps, Maj Gen KND Nanavati, GOC 25 Infantry Division, Brig S R Oberoi Commander of 93 Brigade and Flt Lt S S Sodhi were killed in a helicopter crash.
Lt Gen Bikram Singh who died in the accident was held in a very high esteem by the locals. As a token of their love and affection, people from Poonch and surrounding villages started having `Akhand Path’ every year on the date of this fateful mishap, which they have continued even today, as a great act of respect for the departed souls.
The memorial was constructed by 10 Brigade and all the units of 25 Inf Division in 1980. As a part of welfare of the locals, an ex-gratia compensation of Rs 2.50 lakh was handed over to the parents of Master Mohd Munshi, son of Mohd Bashir, resident of Jallas, who passed away due to unfortunate mine incident on December 24, 2006.
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