Story of chota bhai (little brother) Gurtej, just 23 years of age, whose boyish looks concealed a steely soldier, who never shyed away from an unequal fight.
On the evening of 15 June 2020, the 16th Bihar regiment posted in the Galwan valley, were in a violent face-off with China along the disputed border in Ladakh. 3 Punjab's Ghatak Platoon was called upon to reinforce the outnumbered and outmanoeuvred fighters. The Medium Arty regiment's gunners also rushed out to help, carrying their customary kirpan and an assortment of sticks, rods and sharp knives only.
In the fight was SEPOY GURTEJ SINGH, who was attacked by 4 PLA soldiers. Shouting ‘Bole So Nihal, Sat Sri Akal’ war cry in a thunderous roar, he swung round two of them, and as two others tried to pin him down, he dragged all four of them towards the cliff and flung them over. He lost his balance though and slipped. But he got stuck in a boulder that stopped his free fall.
Though Sep Gurtej was injured severely in the neck and head, he rewrapped his turban and pulled himself back to the fight. He used his kirpan to fight more soldiers until he could snatch a sharp weapon from a Chinese soldier. He further took down 7 PLA soldiers, taking the tally to 11 before one stabbed him from behind. But before going down, he killed his final 12th enemy with his kirpan too.
At the end of the bloody fight, Gurtej lay dead but so were 12 Chinese soldiers. ‘Ik Ik Akali Sikh sawa lakh de barabar” (an Akali Sikh is as good as 1,25,000). Sept Gurtej’s mortal remains were carried back by the surviving ‘Ghataks’. The young warrior reached home on 19 June 2020 where the final farewell was conducted amidst full military honors.
Sep Gurtej was the youngest of 3 siblings. In his last call home, he said "He will come home soon". He did come home but wrapped in the tricolors. Incidentally he was to attend his brother's wedding a fortnight back but decided to stay back at his post as the situation in Galwan valley was tense. Rest well young warrior 🇮🇳
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