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Lance Naik Dilbagh Singh — Operation ‘Bluestar’ hero with steely resolve

Lance Naik Dilbagh Singh was born in Daultabad village of Gurgaon district of Haryana on January 2, 1958. Young Dilbagh, son of Ram Narayan, after passing fifth standard, took to wrestling. With an athletic built and steely resolve, Dilbag soon became a wrestler of repute in the district.

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Col Dilbag Dabas (Retd)

Lance Naik Dilbagh Singh was born in Daultabad village of Gurgaon district of Haryana on January 2, 1958. 

Young Dilbagh, son of Ram Narayan, after passing fifth standard, took to wrestling. With an athletic built and steely resolve, Dilbag soon became a wrestler of repute in the district. The Rajputana Rifles, always on the lookout for promising wrestlers for their regimental ream, spotted Dilbagh during one of the district-level wrestling competitions and got him enrolled in the Rajputana Rifles on May 6, 1977. 

Rajputana Rifles, incidentally, is the only Infantry Regiment in the Indian Army that has two Victoria Cross winners on its roll of honour; Subedar Richhpal Ram and Company Havildar Major Chhelu Ram, both from ‘C’ Company of 4th Battalion (Outram’s) of the 6th Rajputana Rifles. 

Dilbag remained on the posted strength of the regimental centre for almost four years and was the star wrestler throughout. Thereafter, he was posted to the 20th Battalion of the Rajputana Rifles (20 Raj Rif), which was being raised.

The 20th Rajputana Rifles was raised on January1, 1981, at Delhi Cantonment. By June 1981, when the battalion was complete in manpower and equipment, it was moved to Faizabad to form part of 7 Infantry Brigade. Within three years of its raising, it was assigned the task of flushing out militants from the Golden Temple complex during Operation ‘Bluestar’. Operation Bluestar in early June 1984 has undoubtedly been the most difficult operations conducted by the Indian Army. It was not just the test of courage and gallantry of the soldier, it was more than that, much more than that! It was more of a test of his mental and psychological robustness, for such an operation had never been conducted by the Indian Army, or probably by any Army the world over. And the Indian soldier passed the acid test with dignity and honour. He successfully accomplished the given task against all possible odds with utmost restraint.

During the most crucial phase of Operation Blue star, Lance Naik Dilbagh Singh of the 20th Rajputana Rifles went beyond the call of duty and displayed unmatched bravery and camaraderie, for which he was awarded the ‘Shaurya Chakra’. 

Bravery account recorded in the battalion’s war diary reads: “The 20th Rajputana Rifles (Raj Rif) Battalion was stationed at Faizabad, when it was ordered to be part of Operation ‘Bluestar’ to flush out militants from the Golden Temple complex in Amritsar. On the night of 7th/ 8th June, 1984, Lance Naik Dilbagh Singh of ‘B’ Company of 20th Raj Rif was part of the search party, which was tasked to flush out militants from the east end of the temple complex. When the leading elements neared the complex, militants fired a cannon shot on the support group of the ‘B’ company conducting the operation. The militants also started firing from the rooftop of the building. At that moment, Lance Naik Dilbagh Singh heard his company commander Capt KS Chaudhary shout the battle cry of Raj Rif ‘Raja Ramchandra Ki Jai’, an indication to all to charge regardless of everything. Lance Naik Dilbagh Singh along with the assault dashed towards the cannon emplacement on the boundary wall. Without caring for the flying bullets, he crossed over the boundary wall and found his company commander grappling with a militant carrying a dagger. Lance Naik Dilbagh immediately pounced upon the militant like a raging bull, snatched his dagger and shot him on the legs immobilising him, thereby helping his company commander in capturing the cannon and also saving him from grave physical danger at great risk to his personal safety. In this action, Lance Naik Dilbagh Singh exhibited tremendous initiative, strong determination and exemplary valour with complete disregard to personal safety. In recognition of his bravery and selfless devotion to duty of a high order, Lance Naik Dilbagh Singh was awarded the Shaurya Chakra.”

Bravery account recorded in the battalion’s war diary reads...

“The 20th Rajputana Rifles (Raj Rif) Battalion was stationed at Faizabad, when it was ordered to be part of Operation 'Bluestar' to flush out militants from the Golden Temple complex in Amritsar. On the night of 7th/ 8th June, 1984, Lance Naik Dilbagh Singh of 'B' Company of 20th Raj Rif was part of the search party, which was tasked to flush out militants from the east end of the temple complex. When the leading elements neared the complex, militants fired a cannon shot on the support group of the 'B' company conducting the operation. The militants also started firing from the rooftop of the building. At that moment, Lance Naik Dilbagh Singh heard his company commander Capt KS Chaudhary shout the battle cry of Raj Rif 'Raja Ramchandra Ki Jai', an indication to all to charge regardless of everything. Lance Naik Dilbagh Singh along with the assault dashed towards the cannon emplacement on the boundary wall. Without caring for the flying bullets, he crossed over the boundary wall and found his company commander grappling with a militant carrying a dagger. Lance Naik Dilbagh immediately pounced upon the militant like a raging bull, snatched his dagger and shot him on the legs immobilising him, thereby helping his company commander in capturing the cannon and also saving him from grave physical danger at great risk to his personal safety. In this action, Lance Naik Dilbagh Singh exhibited tremendous initiative, strong determination and exemplary valour with complete disregard to personal safety. In recognition of his bravery and selfless devotion to duty of a high order, Lance Naik Dilbagh Singh was awarded the Shaurya Chakra.”

(The writer is a veteran Gunner, 6 Field Regiment)

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