The family of Param Vir Chakra awardee Abdul Hamid, who destroyed eight Pakistani tanks during the 1965 war, has accused the Uttar Pradesh government of renaming a school that bore his name.

The school at Dhamupur in Ghazipur district where Hamid studied was last week renamed from the Amar Shaheed Abdul Hamid Vidyalaya to the PM Sri Composite Vidyalaya, the martyr’s grandson Jameel Alam told reporters on Monday.

Hemant Rao, basic education officer of Ghazipur, said: “I cross-checked with the school management; they told me there are no records of the school ever being known after the war hero.”

Rao added: “It’s an old school that was known as the Composite Vidyalaya, Dhamupur. It was renamed as PM Sri Composite Vidyalaya in April 2019. However, we have received several complaints about the change of name and are probing it. We can never undermine the sacrifice of Abdul Hamid.”

Alam, who lives in Dhamupur, said: “The school was known as the Amar Shaheed Abdul Hamid Vidyalaya till recently. My grandfather had studied there till Class V. This name was inscribed on a board put up there. But one morning last week, we saw a new name written there.”

He added: “I have lodged a protest with education department officials and hope they will correct the mistake.”

Born on July 1, 1933, in Dhamupur, Hamid used to help his father Mohammad Usman at his tailoring shop. He joined the army in December 1954 and was posted with the 4th Battalion of the Grenadiers Regiment.

Hamid destroyed eight Pakistani tanks on September 9-10, 1965, and died while trying to destroy a ninth. He was awarded India’s highest gallantry award posthumously.

His wife, Rasoolan Biwi, died in August 2019.

Sandeep Thapar, an ex-serviceman, wrote on X: “Now we will play Hindu-Muslim card with our decorated martyrs too? That too (with the) holder of the highest valour award Param Vir Chakra... Shame on whoever ordered this.”

State Congress chief Ajay Rai too slammed the government over the renaming, which he said had a “clear motive”.

“Changing the name of the school is an insult to the supreme sacrifice of Abdul Hamid. The UP government must apologise for its act and restore the name of the school,” he said.