An Indian soldier destroyed 12 Chinese soldiers in a recent border clash

Team Mighty
Aug 19, 2020 8:05 AM PDT
1 minute read
Afghanistan War photo

SUMMARY

Earlier this summer, Chinese and Indian border forces fought a shootout in Ladakh, in the Galwan River Valley, along India’s disputed border with China. On Jun. 15, 2020, India’s armed forces managed to push Chinese advances back across the disput…

Earlier this summer, Chinese and Indian border forces fought a shootout in Ladakh, in the Galwan River Valley, along India's disputed border with China. On Jun. 15, 2020, India's armed forces managed to push Chinese advances back across the disputed border, but not before both sides took heavy losses for such a skirmish.

The Indian military says it lost 20 soldiers in the fighting, while China won't admit how many it lost (U.S. intelligence estimates as many as 34). Among those was 23-year-old Gurtej Singh from Punjab.


He had only been in the military for less than two years, according to India's Femina Magazine – but joining was his lifelong goal. In December 2018, he was able to join the 3 Punjab Ghatak Platoon, Sikh Regiment. And it was 3 Punjab Ghatak Platoon that was called up to aid the Indian Bihar Regiment when it came under heavy fire from the Communist Chinese troops.

Gurtej SIngh was coming to the rescue of his fellow soldiers. And he was about to do some incredible damage.

Once on the scene, Singh was armed only with his issued kirpan knife. Four Chinese soldiers were on him almost instantly, Indian officials told Femina. Two of them tried to pin him down as he swung his knife at the other two. The scuffle soon veered toward a steep cliff face. Singh lost his balance and slipped, throwing all four enemies off the cliff – and falling himself.

He was able to stop his freefall with the help of rocks on the cliff face. Injured in the head and neck, he returned to the scene, rewrapped his turban, and started wrecking the Chinese soldiers with his knife. In a move that would make American Chosin Reservoir veterans proud, Singh stabbed seven more Chinese soldiers one-by-one.

Until he was stabbed from behind, leaving him mortally wounded. Singh would die there, but not before turning around and taking out his own killer first.

Gurtej Singh: 12, Chinese People's Liberation Army: 1.

Singh's remains were returned to his family in Punjab and he was laid to rest in the Sikh tradition with full military honors.

Xi Jinping, who was not reached for comment, probably hopes there was only one Gurtej Singh.


NEWSLETTER SIGNUP

Sign up for We Are The Mighty's newsletter and receive the mighty updates!

By signing up you agree to our We Are The Mighty's Terms of Use and We Are The Mighty's Privacy Policy.

SHARE