As part of Operation Meghdoot, launched in April 1984 to secure the Siachen Glacier, Naik Bhagat Singh was deployed to the formidable Saltoro Ridge—one of the most treacherous and strategically crucial battlefronts in the world. This high-altitude military operation was initiated to counter Pakistan’s efforts to claim the glacier, a region of immense strategic significance. The origins of the Siachen conflict trace back to the 1949 UN-brokered Karachi Agreement, which delineated the Ceasefire Line (CFL) in Jammu and Kashmir. However, the agreement left the easternmost section beyond NJ9842 undefined, vaguely stating that the line would extend "thence north to the glaciers." For years, the inhospitable terrain and extreme climate kept the region devoid of military presence. However, between 1964 and 1972, Pakistan began modifying its maps, falsely extending the CFL westward toward the Karakoram Pass instead of northward, as the original agreement implied. This cartographic aggression led to Pakistan’s illegitimate claim over the Siachen Glacier, escalating tensions between the two nations. In response, India launched Operation Meghdoot on April 13, 1984, deploying troops to preemptively secure the glacier and block Pakistan’s advances. Indian forces, airlifted to critical passes such as Bilafond La and Sia La, successfully secured approximately 3,300 square kilometers of contested territory.
By 1986, Naik Bhagat Singh was stationed on the Saltoro Ridge, enduring one of the harshest and most unforgiving battlefronts in the world. Soldiers deployed in Siachen faced relentless blizzards, bone-chilling sub-zero temperatures, treacherous avalanches, and relentless enemy shelling. Surviving in such an extreme environment demanded extraordinary resilience, unwavering courage, and sheer mental and physical endurance. On March 20, 1986, while being part of a patrol through the perilous icy expanse of Siachen, Naik Bhagat Singh and his team were struck by a devastating avalanche triggered by enemy shelling. A large-scale rescue operation was immediately launched, but the merciless conditions ultimately claimed his life. Alongside him, two other brave warriors of the 11 Jat Battalion—Sepoy Rameshwar and Sepoy Tola Ram Khileri—also made the supreme sacrifice.
This tragic incident was part of a series of heavy losses suffered by the 11 Jat Battalion in the days leading up to March 22, 1986: March 19, 1986: Lance Naik Baljit Singh and Sepoy Ram Kanwar succumbed to injuries sustained in action. March 22, 1986: Five gallant soldiers—Havildar Shyam Lal, Naik Fateh Singh, Sepoy Satyavir Singh, Sepoy Prem Chand Dular, and Sepoy Raj Bir—laid down their lives. March 24, 1986: Havildar Krishan Pal succumbed to his injuries, becoming the final martyr in this succession of heartbreaking losses. Naik Bhagat Singh exemplified the highest traditions of the Indian Army through his courage, selflessness, and unwavering commitment to duty.
Naik Bhagat Singh is survived by his wife, Smt. Nawal Devi.
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