Punjab to construct memorial for Kalapani martyrs

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Saturday announced his government would soon construct a memorial as a befitting tribute to the countless unsung heroes who laid down their lives especially in the Cellular Jail of Andaman during the independence movement.
The upcoming memorial would be exclusively dedicated to the sons of soil, who had undergone rigorous punishment which was infamously known as 'Kalapani'.

In his address after dedicating the Shaheed Udham Singh Memorial to the people at a state-level function in Sunam Udham Singh Wala in Sangrur district, the Chief Minister said a lot of research has already been undertaken by the eminent historians and scholars to identify such patriots and freedom fighters, especially hailing from Punjab, who had made enormous contribution in the country's freedom struggle.

Recalling his visit to Cellular Jail in Andaman Island post-tsunami, the Chief Minister said that he was astonished at the fact that he didn't know even a single name etched on the walls there, adding these martyrs had died unknown in the 'Kalapani' leaving behind no memories.

"It is now our duty to give due respect and recognition to their sacrifices made for motherland," said the Chief Minister.

Notably, the state-of-the-art memorial, including a life sized copper statue of Shaheed Udham Singh along with four stones placed each on both sides with his brief life history and heroic deeds engraved in Punjabi and English, and a museum displaying relics, rare pictures, documents besides an urn containing ashes of the great martyr has been constructed with the total cost of Rs 6.40 crore.-IANS