M A I N   N E W S

Jagsir and Arif get hero’s welcome
Festivity, decoration of village mark return
Chander Parkash
Tribune News Service

Kot Bhai (Muktsar), September 14
A wave of joy gripped the village when Lance Naik Jagsir Singh, who spent five years in Pakistani jails, accompanied by his friend Sapper Mohammad Arif, reached his house late this evening.

The residents of the village were dancing to the tunes of Dhol beats, but the family members of Lance Naik Jagsir Singh found it difficult to hold back their tears when they were being reunited with him. Jagsir Singh had returned to his house today after a gap of more than five years.

Earlier, he and Mohammad Arif were given a heroic welcome at the Canal Bridge on the Bathinda-Muktsar road near Bhuller village by the villagers who were present in large numbers.

Clad in their Army uniform, both were greeted with slogans, and were garlanded as people sprinked “gulal” on them.

They were brought here this evening in a private vehicle from the Military Hospital, Amritsar, after they were released by the Army authorities. The Pakistan authorities had released these Jawans on August 9.

The villagers had decorated the entire village, including streets and building leading to Jagsir’s house and welcome gates were erected.

Both Jawans were received by Chottu Kaur, mother of Jagsir Singh, his five-year old daughter, Kuldeep Kaur, his two maternal uncles, maternal grandfather and his younger brother Jagmeet Singh. The entire village gave them a warm reception.

Both Jawans were taken into custody by the Pakistan Rangers on September 17, 1999, during the Kargil conflict. They were lodged in the same jail.

After they were received at the Wagah border on August 9, they were immediately taken to the military hospital where a complete medical examination was conducted.

They were allowed to meet their kin but soon they were taken for debriefing on the same day and were with the Army authorities till this afternoon.

Jagsir Singh was declared a deserter by the Indian Army when he disappeared under mysterious circumstances during the Kargil conflict.

After he was declared a deserter, his family members faced a lot of harassment and his father died while fighting for justice. His wife left for her parental house leaving daughter behind at her in-laws house.

They want to serve country
Tribune News Service

Kot Bhai (Muktsar), September 14
“No sacrifice is bigger than the honour of one’s mother land”, was the spontaneous reaction of both Lance Naik Jagsir Singh and Sapper Mohammad Arif, who reached here today after spending more than five years in Pakistani jails.

“Though we were never harassed by the Pakistani authorities in the jails we were kept, we had been dreaming of reaching our motherland”, they said while acknowledging the warm reception extended to them by the residents of the village, including the kin of Jagsir Singh.

Both were reportedly captured by the Pakistani Rangers during the Kargil conflict and kept in various jails there.

They were declared deserters by the Army authorities after they went missing.

However, it came to light later that they were caught by the Pakistani Rangers and had not deserted the army.

When asked whether they were armed when they were caught, they refused to make any comment. They only said they wanted to serve the nation till their last breath and would love to make all sacrifices for the honour of the country.

They said they were treated well and given proper food in Pakistani jails. They added that they did not know in which jails they were kept.

His mother Chottu Kaur, said that Jagsir would serve the Army till the law permitted. She added that as Jagsir Singh was the only earning member of the family, he would continue to work for the survival of the family.

Sapper Mohammad Arif, who greeted the people with folded hands, said he wanted to reach his motherland at the earliest. He added that he would travel tonight to reach his family as soon as possible.