Lilu Ram, the panch of Hisar’s Nangthala village, was surprised to get a call around a month ago from the Zila Sainik Board telling him that the mortal remains of one Palu Ram, who had gone missing during the Second World War, had been found and the authorities were trying to locate his family.
“Ours is a very big village, so I could not trace the family of Palu Ram. No one seemed to have heard about him. Then I asked the officers to find Palu’s caste. They told me he was a Jat. It became easy then, as there are a few Jat households in the village,” said Mr. Lilu Ram.
Hazari Singh, an octogenarian, told him that grandsons of Palu Ram's brother Moji Ram still stayed in the village. Palu Ram was only 19 and unmarried when he joined the war in 1944 as part of the British Army.
Went missing
But he went missing on September 13, 1944, fighting the Germany Infantry division at Poggio Alto in Italy, according to reports.
Besides Palu Ram, Sepoy Hari Singh, then 20, from years of age, who belonged to Rohtak, was also listed as “missing in action” around same time.
According to media reports, the two were serving with the 4th Battalion of the 13th Frontier Force Rifles, under the British Indian Army. After 1947 the unit became part of the Pakistan Army.
After seven decades, his identity was established and his mortal remains will be buried at a cemetery in Florence, Italy.
Soil from his grave will be brought to India and handed over to relatives.
Moji Ram’s son Ramesh, a farmer, said the news came as a pleasant surprise.
The 34-year-old said his father had told them about Palu Ram and their great grandfather had got pension for around 25 years after he had gone missing.
“We hope his soul will rest in peace after his mortal remains are buried with full honour,” said Ramesh.
He, however, said there was no official word on how long it might take before they finally get the soil from his grave.
