Jagdish Chand exhibited extraordinary valour, didn't care for his life

Shimla: Among the defence personnel who laid down their lives on Pathankot terror attack on the air force base is 58-year-old Jagdish Chand. Chand managed to neutralise one of the attackers before being shot dead by another.

Chand was a former armyman who was recruited to the Defence Security Corps (DSC) after his retirement a couple of years ago. He is survived by his wife and three children.

Top government officials said that Chand, who hailed from Basa village in Himachal Pradesh, was among the first security personnel to engage the terrorists.

“We have been told by the Air Force that Jagdish Chand had exhibited extraordinary valour on Saturday. He did not care for his own life to save a huge defence establishment,” said Deputy Commissioner (Chamba) M Sudha Devi.

Chand had joined duty at Pathankot Air Force station on January 1, after a transfer from Leh last month.

He comes from a family of soldiers. His father and several close relatives either served or are serving in the Indian Army.

“Chand is survived by his wife Snehlata and three children — two of them daughters (Kiran and Tammana) and one son(Rajat). Our officials are at their home and we have told the family that we will hand over the body on Monday. People from the state have reached the village. They are sad, yet proud,” said the DC.

His wife recalled having spoken to her husband on Friday night. “When we heard about the attack on TV, we were extremely worried. It was only today that we were told that he had achieved martyrdom after killing one terrorist,” a shocked Snehlata told officials.