Our Correspondent

Fazilka, October 28

The Shaheedon Ki Samadhi Committee, Asafwala, Fazilka, in association with Saraswati Devi Charitable Trust honoured Veer Naris (war widows) and injured soldiers in a programme held at Asafwala War Memorial, 7 km from here, this evening.

Hundreds of residents thronged the memorial to pay tributes to the martyrs.

Vijay Kumar Chopra, former Chairman of the Press Trust of India and Chief Editor, Punjab Kesari group of newspapers, Brig Gaurav Sharma, Fazilka Deputy Commissioner Manpreet Singh, War Memorial Committee president Sandeep Ghilhotra and Baldev Dhuria, chairman of the trust, honoured Veer Naris and war veterans.

All laid wreaths at the memorial and paid obeisance at the sanctum sanctorum where the ashes of the martyrs have been kept. The memorial was raised in the memory of 209 soldiers and JCOs who fought the 1971 India-Pakistan war in the Fazilka sector. The memorial is being maintained by the Shaeedon Ki Samadhi Committee since 1971.

Veer Naris were given bicycles, hot plates, quilts, wheel chair and other household material. Injured soldiers Jagroop Singh and Lakhbir Singh were also honoured.

Twenty girl students, who completed basic free computer training in the Amogh Computer Centre being run in the war memorial complex, were also given certificates.