Lance Hav Nek Singh KC SC

Lance Havildar Nek Singh hailed from Kahulal village in Bhagwat tehsil of Doda district, Jammu & Kashmir, a region known for its rugged terrain and the indomitable spirit of its people. Born to Shri Jamel Singh and Smt. Bidhiya Devi, he was raised in an environment that valued hard work and service to the nation. From an early age, these surroundings shaped his character and instilled in him a deep sense of patriotism and a strong desire to serve the country in uniform. After completing his school education, he chose the noble path of a soldier, driven by an unwavering sense of duty and commitment to the motherland. He was recruited into the 2nd Battalion of the Jammu and Kashmir Rifles Regiment (2 JAK Rif), one of the most distinguished infantry regiments of the Indian Army. The Jammu and Kashmir Rifles has a glorious legacy, with a history replete with acts of gallantry, supreme sacrifice, and numerous battle honours earned across diverse and challenging operational environments. Serving in such a regiment was a matter of great pride for Lance Havildar Nek Singh, and he wholeheartedly embraced its rich traditions and ethos.

During his service with the Jammu and Kashmir Rifles Regiment, Lance Havildar Nek Singh distinguished himself through his unwavering dedication, professional competence, and natural leadership qualities. His sense of responsibility and calm demeanour under pressure earned him the trust and respect of his fellow soldiers as well as his superiors. Known for his reliability and steadfast commitment to the task at hand, he became an invaluable member of his battalion. Lance Havildar Nek Singh’s service reflected the finest traditions of the Indian Army—selfless devotion to duty, courage in the face of adversity, and an unshakeable resolve to protect the nation. 

Anantnag Operation: 07 Aug 1994

During 1994, Lance Havildar Nek Singh was serving with 2 Jammu and Kashmir Rifles (2 JAK Rif), a battalion deployed in the Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir for intensive counterinsurgency operations. The unit’s Area of Responsibility (AOR) was highly insurgency-prone, requiring troops to remain on constant alert and be prepared to respond swiftly to hostile actions at any time. On 07 August 1994, credible intelligence inputs were received regarding the presence of hardcore terrorists hiding in Hassarpur Tabela village, located in Kulgam tehsil of South Kashmir’s Anantnag district. After carefully analysing the information and assessing the operational situation, it was decided to launch a focused operation to neutralise the terrorists. Accordingly, the battalion established a cordon around the area at approximately 1200 hours. Acting on further operational inputs, a patrol was subsequently launched from the cordon to seek contact with militants operating towards Village Khudawain in the same tehsil and district. As the patrol advanced and approached Village Rahpur, it suddenly came under accurate and intense fire from militants armed with AK-56 rifles. During this exchange, L/Hav Nek Singh sustained a gunshot wound to his thigh, momentarily threatening the momentum of the operation. Amid the chaos of sudden enemy fire, Lance Havildar Nek Singh displayed exceptional alertness and battlefield awareness. He was the first to spot two militants who, after opening fire, were attempting to disengage and escape into the village.

Without hesitation, Lance Havildar Nek Singh, along with a young officer, immediately pursued the fleeing militants. The terrorists soon took cover behind a wall and opened heavy, close-range fire at their pursuers. Realising that the officer was directly in the line of fire and faced imminent danger, Lance Havildar Nek Singh acted with exemplary courage and presence of mind. He unhesitatingly pushed the officer aside, deliberately placing himself between the enemy fire and his superior, thereby shielding the officer from grave danger. Displaying remarkable composure and gallantry, Lance Havildar Nek Singh engaged the militants in a fierce, face-to-face encounter at point-blank range. In this intense exchange, he shot and killed one militant on the spot. Undeterred by the loss of his associate, the second militant picked up the fallen comrade’s weapon and continued firing aggressively. During this close-quarter battle, Lance Havildar Nek Singh sustained grievous gunshot wounds to the left side of his abdomen and his left thigh. Despite severe injuries, profuse bleeding, and excruciating pain, he refused to relent or withdraw. With indomitable will and unmatched determination, he closed in on the remaining militant and shot him dead, thereby completely neutralizing the threat and ensuring the safety of his comrades.

Moments later, the injury to his left thigh proved catastrophic as the bone fractured entirely, causing him to collapse on the ground. Lance Havildar Nek Singh was immediately evacuated by helicopter to 92 Base Hospital, where he fought valiantly for life. Despite the best medical efforts, he succumbed to his injuries on 15 August 1994. His heroic and self-sacrificing action resulted in the elimination of two Pakistan-trained, dreaded militants of Hizbul Mujahideen, and the recovery of one AK-56 rifle along with ammunition, dealing a decisive blow to militant activity in the area. For his conspicuous bravery, utter disregard for personal safety, and supreme sacrifice in the line of duty, Lance Havildar Nek Singh was awarded the nation’s second-highest peacetime gallantry award, the Kirti Chakra.

Lance Havildar Nek Singh is survived by his wife, Smt Rano Devi.

The citation for the ‘Kirti Chakra’ awarded to him reads :

Lance Havildar Nek Singh, Shaurya Chakra, was of Headquarters Company, Second Battalion, The Jammu and Kashmir Rifles. On 07 August 1994, the battalion had established a cordon at Village Hassarpur Tabela, Tehsil Kulgam, District Anantnag, at 1200 hours. From there, a patrol was sent to seek an encounter with militants towards Village Khudawain of the same tehsil and district. As the patrol neared Village Rahpur, Tehsil Kulgam, it came under effective fire from AK-56 rifles of the militants, as a result of which one Non-Commissioned Officer sustained a gunshot wound in his thigh. Lance Havildar Nek Singh, SC, was the first to spot the two militants who, after firing, were trying to escape. Immediately, he, along with an officer, ran after the militants, who meanwhile had entered the village. The militants stopped and took cover behind a wall. One of them quickly opened effective fire at the two pursuers. Realising that the officer was directly in the line of fire, Lance Havildar Nek Singh, SC, pushed him aside and engaged the militants in a fierce face-to-face encounter. One militant was killed on the spot. The other militant picked up the weapon of the fallen militant and continued to fire. In the exchange of fire, Lance Havildar Nek Singh sustained serious gunshot wounds on the left side of his abdomen and left thigh.

Unmindful of his injuries and continuous bleeding, the NCO did not stop and, displaying unparalleled heroism and courage, closed in on the militant and shot him dead. Immediately thereafter, the NCO’s left thigh bone, which had been hit, broke completely and he collapsed on the ground. He was evacuated to 92 Base Hospital by helicopter, where he succumbed to his injuries on 15 August 1994.His gallant action resulted in the killing of two Pakistan-trained dreaded militants of Hizbul Mujahideen and the recovery of one AK-56 rifle and ammunition.

Lance Havildar Nek Singh thus displayed conspicuous bravery, unmindful of his personal safety, in the highest traditions of the Indian Army.