Followers of Shaheed Major Gurjinder Singh Grewal at his memorial in Lohgarh village near Ahmedgarh. A Tribune photograph

Our Correspondent

Mandi Ahmedgarh, June 16

To remember the supreme sacrifice of a war hero of the Indo-Pak War 1971, residents of his native village Lohgarh have urged the higher authorities to direct the district administration to construct the road connecting the memorial of the martyr with the main road.Residents said the passage should be rechristened in the name of Shaheed Major Gurjinder Singh Grewal, who had laid down his life in the war.In a communiqué addressed to the higher authorities, including Prime Minister of India, Department of Ex-servicemen and Welfare Ministry of Defence, New Delhi, Secretary Kendriya Sainik Board, New Delhi, and Deputy Commissioner, Ludhiana, residents and the members of the panchayat led by Ravinder Singh Gill, former office-bearer of Zila Sainik Board, regretted that the successive governments had failed to recognise the supreme sacrifice of martyr Major Grewal.Though elected representatives have been promising to install the statute of the martyr, efforts were not even made to construct a small portion of road passing near his memorial in the village.Maintaining that Major Grewal was one of the youngest martyrs of the district, residents said due recognition by the government would enthuse the youth to join defence forces.Claiming that officials of the block development office in Pakhowal had initiated the process for drafting the project in presence of members of the civic body, the supporters of the martyr regretted that funds for the same were never received.