STATE TIMES NEWS
UDHAMPUR: Grenadier Yogendra Singh Yadav was part of the leading team of the Ghatak platoon tasked to capture Tiger Hill Top on the night of 4th July 1999. The approach to the top, at a height of 16,500 feet, was steep, snow bound and rocky. He volunteered to lead the assault and fix a rope for the rest of his team to follow, unmindful of the risk involved. The Ghatak succeeded in spotting the enemy. On seeing his team reach the top, the enemy reacted violently and opened up intense automatic machine gun, grenade and rocket fire. His team commander and two of his colleagues fell to this murderous hail of enemy fire. The further advance of the Ghatak Platoon was stalled. Realising the gravity of the situation, Grenadier Yogendra Singh Yadav crawled up to the enemy position to silence it and sustained multiple bullet injuries in the process. Disregarding his injuries and braving the thick volley of enemy bullets, he continued towards the enemy’s Sangar and lobbed grenades inside, all the while firing from his rifle. He killed four Pakistanis in close combat and silenced the automatic fire.
At this stage, the enemy launched a series of vicious counter-attacks and in the ensuing hand to hand fight, some more Grenadiers made the supreme sacrifice. The counter attacks were successfully repulsed. Grenadier Yadav was hit in his left arm and right leg. Undeterred, he was seething with rage and had a burning desire to avenge the death of his comrades. He tied his belt to stabilise the left arm that was hanging uselessly and wrapped a bandana around his right leg and crawled to destroy yet another sangar. He again sustained multiple bullet injuries but refused to be evacuated even though he was in critical condition. Inspired by this fearless daredevilry, the rest of the Ghatak Platoon fell upon the enemy’s positions with vengeance and succeeded in finally capturing Tiger Hill Top, a high priority objective.
Grenadier Yogendra Singh Yadav’s indomitable spirit and supreme determination under extremely difficult circumstances was the stuff that legends are made of. For most conspicuous courage well beyond the call of duty, Grenadier Yadav was awarded the Param Vir Chakra, the nation’s highest gallantry award.
