Martyr's village awaits naming of school after him

HOSHIARPUR/JALANDHAR: Demand of the residents of Kitna and its surrounding villages of Hoshiarpur district to name the local government school after a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel Sarwan Dass still remains unfulfilled. Sarwan was among 10 CRPF jawans who sacrificed their lives while scuttling a Chinese incursion at Hot Springs in Ladkah on October 21, 1959.
October 21 is observed as Police Commemoration Day every year by the state and the central police organisations as a tribute to the martyred CRPF personnel.
The panchayat of Kitna and surrounding villages had passed a resolution last year to name the government elementary school in Kitna after Sarwan and sent their request to the state government. For around 56 years, Sarwan's family and Kitna residents remained unaware that he was part of the group, whose valour had received a big recognition from the CRPF and other police forces.
In September last year, a couple of CRPF officials visited Sarwan's home to collect details about his family and kin. Following which his family and the villagers realized that he had been immortalized in the history of police force. Kitna sarpanch and elders admitted that though they knew that a jawan from the village was killed several years ago, they were never aware of the significance of his sacrifice.
Advocate H C Arora had sent a demand notice to the Punjab government in October last year for naming the school after the martyr but so far nothing has been done in this regard. He had sent another notice to the state government on May 27 this year after which the secretary (education) had written a letter to the director public instructions (schools) on June 13 in this regard. The education secretary further directed the DPI (schools) that a proposal with clear comment should be sent along with the details about the action taken on the issue.
However, Kitna sarpanch Ranbir Singh said they had not heard from the education department or from the Punjab government on the issue.