New Delhi: BSF veteran and 1971 Indo-Pak war hero Naik (Retd) Bhairon Singh Rathore passed away at the age of 81. He took his last breath at AIIMS, Jodhpur. BSF put out the news on Twitter and wrote that DG BSF and all ranks salute Naik (Retd) Bhairon Singh Rathore for bravery and console his death.
DG BSF & all ranks condole the passing of Naik (Retd) Bhairon Singh, Sena Medal, the hero of #Longewala battle during 1971 War. BSF salutes his intrepid bravery, courage & dedication towards his duty.
Prahari parivar stands by his family in these trying times.#JaiHind pic.twitter.com/nzlqNJUi9K— BSF (@BSF_India) December 19, 2022
As told by Rathore’s son Sawai Singh, his father was admitted to the AIIMS at Jodhpur on December 14, two days before the Vijay Diwas. His health deteriorated during treatment and his limbs got affected, which seemed like paralysis. As per doctors, the cause of death might be a brain stroke.
A BSF spokesperson said Bhairon Singh Rathore’s body is being taken to a training centre in Jodhpur for a wreath-laying ceremony, followed by the cremation in his village with full military honours.
Rathore was deployed at the Longewala post in the Thar desert while commanding a small BSF unit of six to seven personnel accompanied by a 120 men company of the Army’s 23 Punjab regiment. It was them who decimated an assaulting Pakistani brigade and tank regiment on 5 December 1971. As per the BSF records, when one of the soldiers of the 23 Punjab regiment was martyred, Lance Naik Bhairon Singh took his light machine gun and gave heavy casualties to the Pakistani army advancing forward.
He received the Sena Medal in 1972 for his gallantry during the war and he retired from service as a Naik in 1987. It was his role that actor Suniel Shetty played in the popular Hindi film ‘Border’. Unlike the film, Naik Bhairon Singh Rathore survived the war to tell stories of the brave soldiers.
Rest in Power Naik Bhairon Singh Ji. Heartfelt condolences to the family ? https://t.co/5A531HeouG
— Suniel Shetty (@SunielVShetty) December 19, 2022
