1965 martyr’s wife visits his memorial

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, May 21

The battle of Asal Uttar has long been over but its famed martyr Abdul Hameed remains unforgotten. Today, the wife of the Param Vir Chakra awardee, Rasoolan Bi, was in the city to visit her husband’s memorial at Asal Uttar village in Tarn Taran district.

Rasoolan Bi (94) had come to pay tributes to Abdul Hamid as she had not been able to visit the memorial on the death anniversary of the martyr.

She remembered the supreme sacrifice of her husband, at the age of 32, who helped destroy the famed Pakistani Patton tanks in the 1965 war. The Patton tanks were thought of as invincible and it was the valour of Abdul Hameed, who through his sacrifice, showed the Achilles heel of the Pakistani tank and turned the battle in India’s favour.

Rasoolan Bai was accompanied by Abdul Hameed Jameel Alam, the grandson of Abdul Hamid.

Speaking to Amritsar Tribune, Jameel said, “We have organised a programme to remember him on September 10, the day of his sacrifice, at our native town Hajipur. So, my grandmother may not be able to visit Punjab on that day. She expressed her desire to visit the memorial and we came here. We will pay tributes to the martyr tomorrow and return.”

Meanwhile, Amritbir Singh Aasal, office-bearer of the Shaheed Abdul Hamid Committee at Asal Uttar village, said, “We observe the day in September and she used to visit. This time, it was her desire to visit the memorial. We have made all the arrangements to welcome Rasoolan Bi and her family members”.