Kollam (Kerala): The Indian Army on Tuesday honoured 1971 Indo-Pak war hero 2nd Lt Radha Mohan Naresh, who laid down his life to defend the nation, by unveiling his bust in a ceremony held at Ashramam here.

The ceremony was held under the aegis of Pangode Military Station with Brigadier Salil MP, Station Commander of Pangode Military Station, and the war hero's siblings -- Dr Gopi Mohan Naresh, Sreekala Rani S and Praveen Naresh -- jointly unveiling the bust, a Defence statement said.

On December 10, 1971, Second Lieutenant Radha Mohan Naresh was commanding a platoon, and tasked to defend the Raipur crossing, on the Munawar Tawi river, where the Pakistani Army had launched a major infantry offensive, it said.

The young officer led his platoon from the front, as they fought a valiant battle to hold the post, till reinforcements arrived.

"In doing so, the brave officer fell, in one of the most ruthless battles of the 71 war. The officer was just 21 years old and barely a week since being commissioned into the Jat Regiment of the Indian Army, when the war erupted," the statement said.

Army officers, Sainik Welfare Board Officer Wg.Cdr Santhosh (Retd), soldiers and ex-servicemen attended the event, it added.

Agencies