Baramulla: In a moving tribute to one of Kashmir’s silent war heroes, the Indian Army on Sunday honoured Noor Mohammad Thaker, a porter from LoC Uri, for his extraordinary courage and sacrifice during the 1965 Indo-Pak war.
The recognition came nearly six decades after Noor was abducted and tortured by Pakistani forces during Operation Gibraltar, yet never broke under pressure.
During the “Hajipir Valour Beyond the Pass” symposium held at Thimayya Hall, Baramulla, the Chinar Corps Commander felicitated the now-frail Noor Mohammad with a shawl and citation, acknowledging his invaluable contribution during one of the most daring military operations in Kashmir’s history.
In August 1965, as Pakistan launched Operation Gibraltar by infiltrating the Haji Pir sector with regular troops and irregulars, the Indian Army responded with Operation Bakshi, led by 1 Para under Major Ranjit Singh Dyal. The strategic pass was captured in a fierce assault.
Noor Mohammad, then a civilian porter from Mohura village near the LoC Uri, was called to assist the 7 Maratha Light Infantry in building Tilpatra Post, close to the LoC. Braving heavy rain and enemy shelling, he hauled supplies and ammunition to forward troops through treacherous terrain.
One foggy morning, Noor and three other porters went to fetch water and were ambushed by Pakistani infiltrators. Taken blindfolded across the Ceasefire Line to Muzaffarabad, he was accused of being an Indian spy. For months, he endured brutal torture, starvation, and isolation by Pakistani army and ISI. But Noor remained silent.
After over a year in captivity, Noor was released in October 1966 under a UN brokered prisoner exchange. He returned quietly to his village, uncelebrated but not broken, and continued porter duties for another decade to support his family.
Speaking at the ceremony, a senior officer said, “He endured what soldiers dread. Noor’s service was no less than that of any uniformed man.”
Today, Tilpatra Post still stands in Uri as a testament to that forgotten chapter. And with this long-overdue recognition, Noor Mohammad’s silent heroism finally finds its place in the history books.
