New Delhi: Days after the grave of 1947-48 War hero Brigadier Mohammad Usman was vandalised by unknown miscreants, the Army has finished restoration work.
While the Army is yet to give a formal confirmation, sources said the restoration work on the grave, which began yesterday, has been completed.
Brigadier Usman was the highest ranking officer to die in action during the first India-Pakistan war in 1947-48. On 26 December, his grave, located in south Delhi’s Batla House Qabristan near Jamia Millia Islamia, was found damaged.
The Army has now repaired the marble work around the grave and Brigadier Usman’s name, which was damaged, has also been written again. The grave was also decorated with flowers and a wreath was laid on it.
It is still not known when the act of vandalism took place and who was responsible for it.
Speaking to ThePrint, Professor Iqtidar Khan of the Department of Islamic Studies, who also oversees the maintenance of the graveyard, confirmed that some people from Brigadier Usman’s regiment came on 29 December to seek permission from the registrar to restore the grave.
He also said the university was not responsible for maintaining the graves but only the graveyard, which also contains the graves of many other prominent personalities including author Mujeeb Rizvi and Qurratulain Hyder.
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‘Protocol and emotional issue’ for Army
After the alleged vandalism was reported, the Army had written to Jamia Millia Islamia on 29 December seeking permission to carry out repairs on the grave.
“The university wanted a letter from the Army for the record and it has been sent. We will carry out the repairs,” a senior officer had told ThePrint.
Army sources had also said the matter, which is a “protocol and emotional issue” for the force, was being looked into at the highest level.
Brigadier Usman, who is remembered as ‘Naushera Ka Sher’, took over command of the 50 (Independent) Parachute Brigade at Naushera in December 1947, which halted the advance of Pakistani tribals in the area and recaptured it from Pakistan.
He died when an enemy army shell exploded near him in Naushera on 3 July 1948.
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