Remembering the braveheart

Ludhiana: Tributes were paid to Param Vir Chakra Flying Officer Nirmaljit Singh Sekhon on his martyrdom day at his memorial situated inside the Mini-Secretariat here on Thursday. The district administration organised a memorial meet in the memory of the brave Air Force officer. 

Deputy Commissioner Pradeep Agrawal, Air Commodore DV Khat, former Indian Air Force jawans paid tributes to the martyr. The DC said: “The officer laid down his life for the nation. We pay heartfelt tributes to the martyr. His bravery will be remembered throughout the life.”

He was a pilot of a Gnat detachment based in Srinagar for the air defence of the Valley against Pakistani air attacks. On December 14, 1971, Srinagar airfield was attacked by Sabre aircraft. Flying Officer Sekhon was on duty. Nearly six enemy aircraft were overhead and they started bombing the airfield. In spite of the danger of attempting to take off during the attack, Sekhon took off and immediately engaged a pair of attacking Sabres. In the fight that ensued, he secured hits on one aircraft and set another on fire. —TNS