The father of Kargil War hero Captain Saurabh Kalia, who was tortured and killed by the Pakistani forces 26 years ago, remains committed to his quest to drag Pakistan to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for violations of the Geneva Convention.
On what would have been his 49th birthday on Sunday, the enduring legacy of Captain Kalia was brought to the fore again by his 78-year-old father, N.N. Kalia, as he fights for justice over his son’s brutal treatment in Pakistan’s custody.
Kalia, a retired scientist, said he had full faith in the country’s political leadership and judicial system and hoped those responsible for the heinous crime would be held accountable.
“His unmatchable martyrdom in this unique way awoke the whole sleepy nation, lit the patriotic fire in the country and had a catalytic effect on the entire armed forces,” the father recalled.
Lt Saurabh Kalia, belonging to the 4-Jat regiment, had gone with five soldiers for a reconnaissance mission at Kaksar in Kargil in the third week of May 1999. The team went missing and the first news of their disappearance was broadcast on Skardu radio in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
The bodies of Lt Saurabh, who was made captain posthumously, and his team members — Sepoys Arjun Ram, Banwar Lal, Bhikaram, Moola Ram and Naresh Singh — were handed over to India on June 9. The next day, on June 10, PTI broke the story about Pakistan’s tale of barbarism. The bodies were without their vital parts, eyeballs gouged out and noses, ears and genitals chopped off.
India had expressed its outrage over the mutilation and disfigurement of its army personnel and termed it a “violation of international conventions”.
Despite the passage of time, the family feels anything but alone. “People have given us so much love and respect,” the senior Kalia said.
The martyr’s father had filed a petition in 2012 under Article 32 of the Constitution, which empowers individuals to move the Supreme Court for the enforcement of fundamental rights. He had requested a directive to the government to seek proper legal redress, including approaching the ICJ, against Pakistan for the heinous violations of the Geneva Convention.
The Geneva Convention establishes guidelines for the humane treatment of prisoners of war.