Sanjha Morcha

War memorial’s Kargil gallery to be thrown open on July 15

AMRITSAR : The state-of-the-art Punjab State War Heroes’ Memorial-cum-Museum will throw open its eighth gallery dedicated to 1999 Kargil War for tourists on July 15 as the state government has sanctioned ₹8 crore for the completion of its pending works.

HT PHOTO■ History of Kargil War will be showcased in the Amritsar museum through paintings, art works, 2­D and 3­D projections.

There are nine galleries in the museum and right now, tourists have access to only six as the work of its two galleries — fourth and eighth — is under progress, while the work on the ninth and the last gallery is yet to begin.

Col HP Singh, who is managing the project, said, “We will soon complete the work of eighth gallery, which will be accessible for tourists from July 15 onwards.”

Singh said the gallery will display the history of Kargil War in the form of paintings, art works, and two and three-dimensional (2-D and 3-D) projections.

“Short movies made on the Kargil War are in their final stages in New Delhi, which has delayed the project. These will provide a live experience of the war to audience.”

The Kargil gallery will have projection of ‘The Ultimate Control over Siachen Glacier by Indian Army’, ‘Use of Helicopters in Kargil War’, ‘Causality and Evacuation During the War’, ‘Fighter Aircraft in the War’ and ‘The Tiger Hill’ among other episodes.

It will also have art depictions on how soldiers climbed the lofty hills through ropes with muskets on their shoulders, and pictures of 14 heroes, besides statistics of Kargil War.

The combination of silicon and fibre is being used in the gallery to craft hills, battlefield and faces of Kargil heroes to give real experience to visitors.

ABOUT THE FOURTH GALLERY

Col HP Singh said they have included the depiction of Battle of Saragarhi and Jallianwala Bagh massacre in fourth gallery, which was primarily dedicated to World War I. Col Singh said they have also come up with a plan of curating the ninth gallery with an aim to motivate youth to join armed services.

Pak has not honoured truce commitments, says BSF ADG

FLARE­UP The latest attack comes a week after a sector commander­level flag meeting in RS Pura sector

JAMMU: The Border Security Force (BSF) said Pakistan has betrayed India by not honouring its commitment made at the recent DGMOs level talk which was followed by a sector commander level flag meeting earlier this month. The reaction came after four BSF men were killed and three others severely injured in firing by Pakistan Rangers along the international border in Ramgarh sub sector of Samba district late Tuesday night.

HT PHOTOBSF personnel, Assistant Commandant Jitendra Singh (top left) SI Rajneesh Kumar(top right), ASI Ram Niwas (bottom left) and Constable Hans Raj Gujar, who were killed in a ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Ramgarh Sector of Samba district.

“Since the ceasefire was on, that is the time we use to strengthen our defences and the team was going with the defence material. Pak violated the ceasefire and fired at them with flat trajectory weapons followed by mortar fire. That is how the casualties happened,” said BSF Additional Director General (ADG) Kamal Nayan Choubey at the force’s headquarters here after a wreath laying ceremony for the four men.

The ADG said it was very unfortunate that Pakistan has again violated the truce deal. “It is very unfortunate. The ceasefire announcements were made, the decisions were taken. Our decisions are meant to be on and we have honoured them. Pakistan has not and what Pakistan does is its business. How we respond to the betrayal is our job,” he said. The latest attack comes barely a week after a sector commander level flag meeting at Octroi post in RS Pura sector of Jammu where Brigadier Amjad Hussain of Chenab Rangers had promised to uphold the sanctity of November 2003 Indo-Pak ceasefire agreement in letter and spirit.