Stories Of Bravery Emerging In Punjab As Floodwaters Recede

After the Majha floods, stories of unyielding heroism and tenacity have surfaced, showcasing the residents’ unbreakable character. One of these tales, about a revenue official who put his own life in danger to save BSF personnel as well as civilians from the perilous currents of Ujh, stands out among the others.

Former soldier Fateh Singh is today a patwari in the Dhar block. In light of his incredible achievement, Singh is adamant that, despite the formidable obstacles he encountered, his Army training inspired him to take action.

The Pathankot administration called Singh last Sunday to assume command of one of the fibre boats used for rescue efforts when the Ujh River swelled past its capacity. His first task was to return the three stranded citizens and the six BSF members who had been marooned close to Jaitpur village to the safety of Khudaipur hamlet. When the floodwaters engulfed them, the security guards were stationed at the Simbal Skool border outpost.

Singh found a problem with the boat just as he was about to start the rescue mission from Jaitpur. Unfazed, he bravely decided to remove the engine from the boat and disassemble it. Once finished, he threw away the large engine because he knew it would make it difficult for them to cross the river.

The BSF personnel and civilians became uneasy and hesitant to go after realising that the boat was now without an engine. Singh repeatedly warned them that if they hesitated and wavered, they would be in grave danger. Lacking other options and trapped between two undesirable options, they reluctantly consented to set off on the risky trek.

Without an engine, Singh steered the boat with only steel oars, fighting the strong currents that periodically veered them off course.

These ten people teetered on the edge of life and death for two agonising hours, relying only on hope and their unyielding resolve.

Finally, the vast audience that had gathered there hailed Singh and his comrades with booming chanting of “Jo Bole So Nihal” as he expertly piloted the ship to the safety of the land at Khudaipur hamlet.

The Pathankot Deputy Commissioner, Harbir Singh, said that Fateh Singh would be honoured on 15 August in honour of “the exemplary bravery he demonstrated.”

Fateh Singh’s acts of bravery and selflessness serve as a bright example of the human spirit’s tenacity and persistent commitment to the welfare of others, even in the face of overwhelming adversity.

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