Military Digest: The story of sacrifice of two brothers in 1965 war — Major J C Verma and Major G C Verma

This is the story of the Verma brothers of Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. Major G C Verma, Vir Chakra (Posthumous) of 3 Dogra, and Major J C Verma of 20 Rajput. A third brother was also in the Army but survived the war.

Major J C Verma, 20 Rajput

It is the poignant story of Major J C Verma which we take up first this week in this column. Like the families of the Prisoners of War (PoWs) of the 1971 war who still await word of their kin, Major J C Verma’s children do the same. However, not much is known or written about the PoWs of the 1965 war who did not return home or whose capture by the Pakistan Army was not well documented. These are often classified as missing in action and presumed dead.

Major J C Verma was the second in command of 20 Rajput (now 24 Mech) and his battalion was part of the 35 Infantry Brigade which took part in the fierce battles in Chawinda and Jassoran near the Pakistani city of Sialkot, deep inside Pakistan Punjab.

A detailed account of the action has been written by Maj Gen Yashwant Deva who took part in the actions of 35 Brigade as a young signals officer. He writes that immediately after the battle at Chawinda, a counterattack force of Pak 4 Armoured Brigade and 14 (Para) Brigade were ordered to clear the northern edge of Rakh Baba Bhure Shah which was still in our hands, and then be prepared to destroy the Indian positions in Alhar, Fatehpur and Bheloke.

“Meanwhile the pressure was building up against Jassoran. Luckily, communications with 20 Rajput were through. The Second-in-Command was often on the set himself apprising me that the position was getting highly untenable,” Maj Gen Deva mentions.

Lt Col S S Kanwar, Commanding Officer, 20 Rajput, got wounded by shelling and had to be evacuated. “Second in Command Maj J C Verma showed immense pluck and held on to the position at Jassoran in the face of concerted armour, artillery and air strikes of the enemy. The counter-attack came at 1500 hours or so. JC Verma was killed in action, minutes before the Division HQ allowed withdrawal of the battalion to east of Railway Line on my persistent requests. Verma sacrificed his life to save the honour of his Battalion, the Brigade, and the Country. If this is not bravery, what else is?” says Maj Gen Deva.

However, social media comments by family members of Maj J C Verma suggest that they believe he was taken PoW and that he did not die in the attack. He left behind his wife Asha Verma and three children.

A nephew of his has written on Facebook that an officer matching Maj Verma’s description was announced as taken prisoner on Radio Pakistan. Another post on X by a woman asks if the whereabouts of Major J C Verma as PoW are known and says his children still await him.

Major G C Verma, 3 Dogra

The other brother fought equally valiantly in the Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir. His battalion was under the 93 Infantry Brigade of the 25 Infantry Division.

The 93 Infantry Brigade was tasked to effect the Poonch—Haji Pir linkup by capturing Pak Army pickets en route Kahuta.

3 Dogra, then under the command of Lt Col R B Nair along with 2 Sikh, was tasked by 93 Brigade to capture Raja and Chand Tekri, both of which were considered to be Pak Army strongpoints.

Major G C Verma, B Company Commander, took part in the pitched battle to rout the enemy.

His citation for Vir Chakra states, “To encourage his troops in the face of heavy enemy fire Major Verma moved to the front line to direct the operations. After a fierce exchange of fire and throwing of hand grenades enemy troops were driven from the first line of trenches and hunkers… As a result of hand-to-hand fighting, the enemy were knocked out of all the bunkers. In a pitched fight on the last edges of the objective Major Verma was hit in the head by an enemy bullet and died. His company, however, gained the objective completely. Major Greesh Chandra Verma displayed exemplary courage, leadership and determination of a high order.”

The posthumous Vir Chakra was received by S P Verma, father of Major G C Verma. A father whose three sons went to war and two did not return.