Lieutenant Colonel Bikram Jit Singh | Indian Army
16 Light Cavalry officer who made the supreme sacrifice while confronting terrorists during the Samba attack
Moving Towards the Sound of Gunfire
Lieutenant Colonel Bikram Jit Singh served with 16 Light Cavalry of the Indian Army and was serving as the unit's second-in-command when terrorists attacked the Officers' Mess complex in Samba district of Jammu and Kashmir on 26 September 2013.
At around 7 am, after hearing the sound of automatic weapons near the Officers' Mess Complex, Lieutenant Colonel Bikram Jit Singh immediately moved towards the site.
He spotted a terrorist hiding in a nullah and attempting to move towards the adjacent Officers' Married Accommodation Complex. Realising the danger to the families living there, the officer moved between positions while directing the response and helping prevent the terrorists from moving towards the residential area.
Despite the presence of armed terrorists, Lieutenant Colonel Bikram Jit Singh continued directing the action. During the engagement, he sustained gunshot wounds.
He subsequently succumbed to his injuries and made the supreme sacrifice.
His prompt action helped prevent the terrorists from moving towards the Officers' Married Accommodation Complex and gave the security forces crucial time to establish the cordon and respond to the attack.
For his outstanding bravery, leadership and supreme sacrifice during the operation, Lieutenant Colonel Bikram Jit Singh was posthumously awarded the Shaurya Chakra.
