Tortured By Pakistan During Kargil War, Captain Saurabh Kalia Is The Name We Should Never Forget

Saurabh Kalia would have turned 40 years old. Who is Saurabh Kalia, you ask? 

He is a martyr.

As the nation celebrates the 17th anniversary of India's victory in the Kargil war, we tell you the story of a hero whose memory is still waiting for justice.

Captain in the Indian Army

He was first recruited from the Indian Military Academy in August 1997, and was later commissioned in December 1998. His first posting was in 4 JAT Regiment in the Kargil Sector, along with five other soldiers – Arjun Ram, Bhika Ram, Bhanwar Lal Bagaria, Moola Ram and Naresh Singh.

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The Kargil War 

During the Kargil War (May – June 1999), he and the soldiers from the patrol team were captured as “prisoners of war” and brutally tortured to their deaths by Pakistani forces. 

Wikipedia

On 15th May, 1999, Lt. Saurabh Kalia and his men got engaged in a non-stop crossfire with the Pakistan Army across the LOC. Soon after running out of ammunition, they were captured by Pakistani soldiers and held in captivity for 22 days (from 15th May to 7th June, 1999), where they were subjected to third degree torture – bodies were burnt; eardrums were pierced with blazing iron rods; eyes were punctured before removal; teeth, bones, and skulls were broken; limbs and private organs were sliced off; and were finally shot dead after multiple rounds of fire. This was corroborated by post-mortem reports after Pakistan handed the mutilated bodies to India on June 9, 1999. 

Justice denied

After the clear violation of the principles of the Geneva Convention – that seek to enforce the “humanitarian treatment of war” – a formal notice was submitted against those responsible. However, Pakistan denied all charges of torture and held its stand of being not guilty. Further tarnishing the memory of our soldiers, Rehman Malik (Interior Minister, Pakistan) went on record to say that the Capt. Saurabh Kalia and others died of extreme weather conditions and that there was no evidence to prove whether they were shot or not.  

The pursuit of justice

After a petition filed by Capt. Saurabh Kalia's father N. K. Kalia, a formal notice demanding a response within ten weeks, was issued to the Centre by the Supreme Court. However, even after 16 years, justice still eludes. All the pleas of a helpless father have landed on deaf ears.

N. K. Kalia was quoted saying, "I am ashamed of being an Indian. The country has spineless leaders.”

In remembrance

Not everyone has forgotten this unsung hero. His personal belongings have been preserved in the museum of ‘Saurabh Smriti Kaksha’ and a street has been named as ‘Capt. Saurabh Kalia Marg’ in Palampur. Even a statue stands proud in Amritsar that was raised in his memory.

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If you want to support a father’s fight for justice, you can sign the online petition here: http://chn.ge/1HpuRwr