What did Abdul Hamid do? Mohan Bhagwat to launch book on 1965 Indo-Pak war hero

Abdul Hamid. Source: Indian Army.

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat will release a book on Param Vir Chakra recipient Veer Abdul Hamid on Monday which also marks his birth anniversary at his residence in Ghazipur's Dhamupur village.

In July last year, Veer Abdul Hamid's son Jainul Hassan had informed Bhagwat about the book being written on his father and requested the RSS chief to release it after its final publication.

The title of the book on Abdul Hamid is Mere Papa Param Vir and has been authored by Dr Ramchandran Shrinivasan. It narrates the tales and stories from the war field that Jainul Hassan heard from his father before martyrdom.

The book also includes several interesting facts and experiences of Abdul Hamid that he shared with his son and family members, a report by ToI quoted Hassan as saying.

Who Abdul Hamid is?

1 - Abdul Hamid was a soldier in the 4th Grenadiers, Indian Army. During the 1965 India-Pakistan war, his battalion displayed exemplary valour and fought the enemy with great determination.

2 - Company Quarter Master Havildar (CQMH) Abdul Hamid came under fire in the Khem Karan sector of Punjab from an enemy tank in the 1965 Indo-Pak was blown to death after a direct hit on the jeep he was mounted on.

3 - Abdul Hamid was awarded the Param Vir Chakra posthumously for display of exceptional bravery and conspicuous courage in the 1965 Indo-Pak war.

4 - He was born on July 1, 1933, in Dhamupur village in Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh.

5 - Abdul Hamid completed his education till eighth standard from a junior high school in Deva. He could not study further due to the grim financial condition of his family.

6 - He had then started helping his father at his family’s tailoring shop.

7 - In 1953, when he was 20 years old, Abdul Hamid had joined the Indian Army.

8 - He trained at the Grenadiers Regimental Center in Nasirabad and in 1955 he was posted to 4 GRENADIERS.

9 - Initially, Abdul Hamid served in a rifle company and was then sidestepped to the Recoil-Less Platoon (RCL)

10 - He served with his battalion in Agra, Amritsar, Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi, North-East frontier Agency (NEFA) and Ramgarh.

Abdul Hamid’s role in 1965 India-Pakistan war

On September 6, 1965, Pakistan was left surprised by the Indian Army's offensive in Punjab to offset the attack launched by Pakistan Army in the Chhamb sector of Jammu and Kashmir.

After being dislodged from their positions in Khemkaran sector, the Pakistan army launched a counter attack with its 1 Armoured Division.

On the morning of September 8, the 4 Grenadiers quickly occupied a defended sector at Asal Uttar. They arrived in the sector from the area of Ichhogil Canal and started frantically to dig down.

The battalion held their fire and when the leading tank was 30 yards away Abdul Hamid knocked it out.

The crew of the two follow-up tanks abandoned them and fled. After the unsuccessful attempt of the preceding day, on September 9, Pakistani forces carried out recce in force with tanks, throughout the latter part of September 9 and 10.

The attack came at 6:45 am on September 10, 1965. Pakistani tanks came in area Manwan with an aim to bypass the Indian defended sector. At 8:30 am an enemy combat group from Pak 4 Armoured Brigade was launched against 4 Grenadiers but the attack was foiled by artillery concentrations before the enemy infantry could close in on the Indian minefields. Indian armour then came from flanks resulting in a tank battle.

Abdul Hamid was manning a recoilless gun (RLC) there. On September 10, around 8:00 am, Pakistani forces attacked a vital sector ahead of the village of Chima on the Bhikhiwind road in the Khem Karan Sector with a regiment of Patton tanks. There was heavy artillery shelling preceding the attack.

The enemy tanks then had reached the forward position. Abdul Hamid, commander of a recoilless gun detachment, realised the gravity of the situation and moved out to a flanking position with his gun mounted on a jeep amidst heavy enemy shelling and tank fire. He quickly changed positions after taking advantage of a favourable location to take out the leading enemy tank and ignite another tank.

After being recognised by the enemy tanks in the region, intense enemy fire with heavy explosives and concentrated machine guns was directed towards his jeep.

Abdul Hamid continued firing his RCL at yet another enemy tank without ceasing. He was fatally wounded while doing so by an enemy high explosive shell. Inspired by the courageous act of Abdul Hamid, his companions put up a valiant resistance and repulsed the enemy's massive tank onslaught.

He showed total disregard for his own safety throughout the operation, exhibited unwavering bravery in the face of persistent enemy fire.

The grave of Abdul Hamid and all those Indian Army soldiers who laid down their lives in the Battle of Asal Uttar is located at the outskirts of Chima Village on Khemkaran-Bhikkiwind road in Tarn Taran district of Punjab.

With inputs from MoD, Govt of India