About 42 years after the India-Pakistan war of 1971, the Meghalaya Frontier of the Border Security Force (BSF) is going to pay a befitting tribute to some of the bravehearts, who had laid down their lives while defending their position against the advancing Pakistani forces.
The Director General of the BSF will inaugurate a war memorial at Kilapara Border outpost (BOP) along the India-Bangladesh border in Meghalaya’s West Garo Hills district on Saturday (May 25 this year) to pay tribute to the nine BSF men who had made the supreme sacrifice while defending their position against the Pakistani forces.
“The battle, which was fought at Kilapara near Dalu in West Garo Hills of Meghalaya is an important battle fought on the Eastern front during 1971 Indo-Pak war. The Kilapara-Dalu BOP was being guarded by the BSF and it was the valiant action on part of the BSF’s brave jawans who denied the Pakistani troops the strategic control over the Dalu-Tura road,” a BSF spokesman said on Monday, adding that this has also helped facilitation of the liberation of Bangladesh.
“The 83 battalions of the BSF were deployed in West Garo Hills during the 1971 Indo-Pak war. One company of the forces was deployed at Dalu with its outpost at Kilapara. Several thousand refugees along with high ranking political dignitaries were also taking shelter in the refugee camps at Dalu. However, on May 24, 1971 Pak Army started intermittent firing and shelling on Kilapara outpost and Dalu area. The movement of the Pakistani forces was also seen along the International Border,” he said.
“After the first attack was foiled by the BSF forces, the Pakistani Army in disguise of refugee had crossed the International border and reached refugee camp. The Pakistani Army again crossed over the International border and launched the second attack the next day — on May 25. However, the BSF troops at Kilapara post fought bravely and enemy attack was repulsed,” the spokesman said, adding that the enemy again regrouped and attacked the Kilapara outpost for the third time when nine BSF personnel made supreme sacrifice and laid down their lives.
“Besides, the supreme sacrifice of nine soldiers, the Pakistan Army took two BSF personnel along with a civilian of village as PoW after the success in the third attack,” he said, adding that the BSF jawans, however, fought valiantly and repulsed two enemy attacks despite numerical inferiority compared to Pakistani forces.
“The valour of the BSF forces denied the enemy of strategic control over Dalu-Tura road for considerable period of time. Although a war memorial had been constructed in the area earlier, yet its condition deteriorated with the passage of time. The Inspector General of the BSF’s Meghalaya Frontier renovated the War Memorial and it will be inaugurated on coming Saturday — 25th May,” he said, adding that the DG, BSF is likely to be present on the occasion.
“We have also invited the Director General, Border Guards of Bangladesh (BGB) to be present on the occasion and he has given his consent to be the Guest of Honour on the occasion,” the spokesman said.