LUCKNOW: Thousands pass through this roundabout in Cantonment area every day but very few know that the gun-mounted jeep at one corner, named after legendary war hero and Param Vir Chakra (PVC) awardee, Abdul Hamid, is the original military vehicle that was used by the infantry troops to destroy heavily-armoured Patton Tanks in the 1965 Indo-Pak War.
A similar jeep was used by Abdul Hamid to destroy four Patton tanks before he attained martyrdom, which earned Hamid the sobriquet of “the slayer of Patton Tanks” and ‘Vir Abdul Hamid’.
As the country celebrates 75th year of Independence, very few remember the hero who defended India’s sovereignty. TOI spoke to some passersby at the roundabout and found that none had any knowledge about the man and the jeep that are on display at the spot since 1993. No one even paid any homage to Hamid on his death anniversary on Friday (September 10).
Born on July 1, 1933 in Dhamupur, Ghazipur, Hamid was company quartermaster who was given charge of anti-tank recoilless gun detachment to hold Pakistani armoured regiment crossing Asal Uttar village on September 8, 1965. By September 10, Hamid had taken out four Patton tanks of the Pakistan Army. He was mortally wounded by a high explosive shell and passed away on September 10, 1965.
On December 3, 1993, the then GOC-in-chief, central command, Lt Gen YN Sharma, dedicated a jeep-mounted recoilless rifle to Lucknow Cantonment in the memory of Abdul Hamid.
“Abdul Hamid belongs to UP. Army has installed a statue on the roundabout to commemorate the sacrifice. A programme or at least decoration of the roundabout with flowers could have been done to let general public know the importance of September 10,” said veteran Col Prabhat Ranjan (Sena Medal), the artillery officer who participated in Operation Meghdoot and Operation Vijay.
There are 35 gallantry award recipients, both officers and jawans, who hail from Lucknow or are settled here but only a few have statues or roads in their name.
Uday Khatri (73), son of freedom-fighter Ram Krishan Khatri, who was convicted in Kakori action and sentenced to 10 years’ jail, said the war heroes should be given the same respect as freedom fighters. Col (retd) TBS Pangtey said, “The city has three PVC roundabouts (after Manoj Pandey, Abdul Hamid and Jadunath Singh). It’s imperative for military establishment that at least their sacrifice is remembered on their death anniversaries.”
