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Indian Express
4 days ago
- General
- Indian Express
‘We wanted to have tea… Army personnel told us to drive away due to heavy shelling'
It's a mission that will be etched in the mind and heart of Jagtar Singh forever. Jagtar, a driver in his early 40s, was an integral part of the PGIMER's dedicated transport team that rendered medical support on ground zero during Operation Sindoor. Amid the recent war-like situation between India and Pakistan, a special humanitarian mission was carried out in the crisis-hit region of Jammu and Kashmir by the PGIMER, Chandigarh. Traversing tough and unknown terrains and keeping tight schedules to ensure timely evacuation of the injured, getting those in need to hospitals, while shelling… Jagtar recalled how he drove from Chandigarh to Rajouri on the night of May 8, along with some more team members, carrying essential medical equipment for logistical coordination and supply chain continuity. 'We were then required to go to Poonch, which is more than 7 hours' drive, and we didn't know the way. The roads were narrow, and there was a complete blackout; we could not even switch on the headlights, and there was a complete atmosphere of fear. We drove through shelling, with a local guiding us through. But there was no thought, just the call of duty, and we began the journey,' Jagtar said. With hardly any civilians and only hospital staff and Army personnel on the way, the driver remembered witnessing damaged buildings, cars, and a lot of tension. 'We would get calls from places where there were injured people, and we would drive to pick them up and take them to the hospitals. Many people had died too, and had to be shifted, with no time to waste, and the locals supporting us. Then the hospital got a frantic call from almost the zero point near the border, that a pregnant woman had started labour pains, and needed to be rushed to the local government hospital, and I remember that it was a very tense moment, and two lives had to be saved. We had the technician with us in the car, and all the needed medicines, bandages etc, and we finally managed to reach the woman, who, before we could get her to the hospital, delivered in the vehicle, with the medical staff making sure that the mother and the baby girl were both safe, and then got to the hospital for further care. We had to drive fast and safely, and it was almost 60 km.' The moment was both special and precious for Jagtar, as he had a seven-year-old daughter, who was very tense that he was going to be away in such a situation and just kept asking him when he would be back. The team was there for more than 15 days, and had to go to various places to help the injured with dressings and first aid. 'There was so much to learn from people, the selfless attitude of Army personnel, who would instruct us to be quiet, not switch on any lights. As there was no network, we had to depend on our instincts to guide us through this challenge,' said Jagtar. The driver also praised all the senior officials of the PGIMER, who were 'constantly connected' through video calls, assuring the team that they were not alone.' 'There were many tense moments, so many shells fell near our car. One evening, we wanted to have tea and stopped on the road, and suddenly, the Army personnel told us to drive away due to heavy shelling. We were there when the ceasefire was announced, and suddenly the tension melted, and people started coming back. 'I started driving in 2004, and this was my first such experience. It was a proud moment when our team was honoured, and I got a medal from PGIMER Director Vivek Lal with words of appreciation. My family and my daughter were also so happy that we could save so many people,' smiled Jagtar as he reflected on the 15-day humanitarian mission.
The Herald Scotland
01-05-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
‘Moment of truth' for Lammy on Scot detained in India, says brother
He still faces charges at a federal level, which his supporters – who claim an initial confession was as a result of torture – fear could take years to come to a conclusion. On Thursday, supporters say, India's Supreme Court failed to issue a ruling on a petition for bail. Mr Johal's brother Gurpreet Singh Johal will meet with David Lammy next week to discuss the case, as more than 100 MPs and peers signed a letter to the Foreign Secretary calling for 'all diplomatic efforts' to be used to ensure his return home. Speaking ahead of the meeting, Gurpreet said: 'I'm glad the Foreign Secretary is meeting me again, as it shows he recognises that this is a make-or-break moment for Jagtar. 'The case against my brother has been tested in court and rejected, but the Indian authorities will keep him in prison for decades if the UK Government doesn't act to secure his release. 'We've seen that today at the Supreme Court – just the latest in an endless series of delays. This is the moment of truth for David Lammy: will he live up to his promises, or will he fail Jagtar like the last six foreign secretaries did?' The Foreign Secretary will meet with Mr Johal's family next week (Stefan Rousseau/PA) The letter, spearheaded by Mr Johal's local MP Douglas McAllister, was signed by former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, former shadow chancellor John McDonnell and senior Tory MP David Davis, and urged the Foreign Secretary to intervene. 'The UK Government, following Jagtar's acquittal, should be using all diplomatic efforts at this critical stage to ensure Jagtar Singh Johal is released on bail as soon as possible, pending the discontinuation of the other outstanding cases,' the letter said. 'The time has now come to act quickly and decisively. With the acquittal, we now have an opportunity to hold urgent diplomatic discussions with your Indian counterparts. 'Taking urgent steps now during this window of opportunity will reassure all those lobbying us on Jagtar's behalf that we are doing all we can to secure his immediate release and return to the UK, and therefore reunited with his family as soon as possible.' Mr McAllister added: 'The failure to grant bail to my constituent, Jagtar Singh Johal, serves to demonstrate the need for greater urgency by the Foreign Secretary and the UK Government to secure my constituent's immediate release and his return to his family in West Dunbartonshire. 'I will be advising the Foreign Secretary when we meet next week of the strength of feeling across both houses that now is the time to act.' Mr Johal wrote about alleged human rights abuses of Sikhs by the Indian government while living in the UK and was accused of financially supporting terror attacks in Punjab, which he denies. An FCDO spokesperson said: 'We welcome the recent progress in the case. 'The UK Government remains committed to working for faster progress on Jagtar's case, and the FCDO continue to work to support Mr Johal and his family.'
The National
01-05-2025
- Politics
- The National
MPs urge David Lammy to secure release of Jagtar Singh Johal
The group of 117 parliamentarians have written to Foreign Secretary David Lammy, stressing 'the time has now come to act quickly' to bring Jagtar Singh Johal home to his family in West Dunbartonshire. Jagtar, or Jaggi, is being held in solitary confinement in a prison in India on terrorism charges, despite being cleared in one of the cases against him by a court in Punjab at the beginning of March. READ MORE: 'F***ing hell': LBC journalist exasperated as caller brings up Gaza genocide He still faces eight 'duplicate' cases against him based on what his supporters say are politically motivated allegations that he funded a terrorist plot which resulted in a series of attacks in northwest India from 2016 to 2017. On Thursday, supporters said India's Supreme Court failed to issue a ruling on a petition for bail. Lammy has agreed to meet Johal's brother, Gurpreet Singh Johal, for a second time, on May 8. At the first meeting, Gurpreet warned that the UK Government would be held responsible 'if anything untoward were to happen' to Jagtar. Ahead of the meeting next week, the cross-party group of MPs and peers said it was vital the UK Government acted promptly. The letter, spearheaded by Jagtar's local MP Douglas McAllister, was signed by former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, former shadow chancellor John McDonnell and senior Tory MP David Davis, and urged the Foreign Secretary to intervene. 'The UK Government, following Jagtar's acquittal, should be using all diplomatic efforts at this critical stage to ensure Jagtar Singh Johal is released on bail as soon as possible, pending the discontinuation of the other outstanding cases,' the letter said. 'The time has now come to act quickly and decisively. With the acquittal, we now have an opportunity to hold urgent diplomatic discussions with your Indian counterparts. 'Taking urgent steps now during this window of opportunity will reassure all those lobbying us on Jagtar's behalf that we are doing all we can to secure his immediate release and return to the UK, and therefore reunited with his family as soon as possible.' READ MORE: Warning as 100,000 Scots face disruption and higher bills over meter switch off McAllister added: 'The failure to grant bail to my constituent, Jagtar Singh Johal, serves to demonstrate the need for greater urgency by the Foreign Secretary and the UK Government to secure my constituent's immediate release and his return to his family in West Dunbartonshire. 'I will be advising the Foreign Secretary when we meet next week of the strength of feeling across both houses that now is the time to act.' Speaking ahead of his second meeting with Lammy, Gurpreet (above) said: 'I'm glad the Foreign Secretary is meeting me again, as it shows he recognises that this is a make-or-break moment for Jagtar. 'The case against my brother has been tested in court and rejected, but the Indian authorities will keep him in prison for decades if the UK Government doesn't act to secure his release. 'We've seen that today at the Supreme Court – just the latest in an endless series of delays. This is the moment of truth for David Lammy: will he live up to his promises, or will he fail Jagtar like the last six foreign secretaries did?' The Foreign Office was contacted for comment.
The Independent
01-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
‘Moment of truth' for Lammy on Scot detained in India, says brother
The brother of a Scot detained in India since 2017 has said now is the 'moment of truth' for the Foreign Secretary to push for his release. Jagtar Singh Johal, from Dumbarton, West Dunbartonshire, was arrested while in India for his wedding and has been held by authorities since, despite being acquitted of all charges in a case in the Punjab region of the country in March. He still faces charges at a federal level, which his supporters – who claim an initial confession was as a result of torture – fear could take years to come to a conclusion. On Thursday, supporters say, India's Supreme Court failed to issue a ruling on a petition for bail. Mr Johal's brother Gurpreet Singh Johal will meet with David Lammy next week to discuss the case, as more than 100 MPs and peers signed a letter to the Foreign Secretary calling for 'all diplomatic efforts' to be used to ensure his return home. Speaking ahead of the meeting, Gurpreet said: 'I'm glad the Foreign Secretary is meeting me again, as it shows he recognises that this is a make-or-break moment for Jagtar. 'The case against my brother has been tested in court and rejected, but the Indian authorities will keep him in prison for decades if the UK Government doesn't act to secure his release. 'We've seen that today at the Supreme Court – just the latest in an endless series of delays. This is the moment of truth for David Lammy: will he live up to his promises, or will he fail Jagtar like the last six foreign secretaries did?' The letter, spearheaded by Mr Johal's local MP Douglas McAllister, was signed by former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, former shadow chancellor John McDonnell and senior Tory MP David Davis, and urged the Foreign Secretary to intervene. 'The UK Government, following Jagtar's acquittal, should be using all diplomatic efforts at this critical stage to ensure Jagtar Singh Johal is released on bail as soon as possible, pending the discontinuation of the other outstanding cases,' the letter said. 'The time has now come to act quickly and decisively. With the acquittal, we now have an opportunity to hold urgent diplomatic discussions with your Indian counterparts. 'Taking urgent steps now during this window of opportunity will reassure all those lobbying us on Jagtar's behalf that we are doing all we can to secure his immediate release and return to the UK, and therefore reunited with his family as soon as possible.' Mr McAllister added: 'The failure to grant bail to my constituent, Jagtar Singh Johal, serves to demonstrate the need for greater urgency by the Foreign Secretary and the UK Government to secure my constituent's immediate release and his return to his family in West Dunbartonshire. 'I will be advising the Foreign Secretary when we meet next week of the strength of feeling across both houses that now is the time to act.' Mr Johal wrote about alleged human rights abuses of Sikhs by the Indian government while living in the UK and was accused of financially supporting terror attacks in Punjab, which he denies. The Foreign Office have been contacted for comment.
STV News
01-05-2025
- Politics
- STV News
Scot detained in India at 'make-or-break' moment for UK Government to secure release
The brother of a Scot detained in India since 2017 has said now is the 'moment of truth' for the foreign secretary to push for his release. Jagtar Singh Johal, from Dumbarton, West Dunbartonshire, was arrested while in India for his wedding and has been held by authorities since, despite being acquitted of all charges in a case in the Punjab region of the country in March. He still faces charges at a federal level, which his supporters – who claim an initial confession was as a result of torture – fear could take years to come to a conclusion. On Thursday, supporters say, India's Supreme Court failed to issue a ruling on a petition for bail. Mr Johal's brother Gurpreet Singh Johal will meet with David Lammy next week to discuss the case, as more than 100 MPs and peers signed a letter to the foreign secretary calling for 'all diplomatic efforts' to be used to ensure his return home. Speaking ahead of the meeting, Gurpreet said: 'I'm glad the foreign secretary is meeting me again, as it shows he recognises that this is a make-or-break moment for Jagtar. 'The case against my brother has been tested in court and rejected, but the Indian authorities will keep him in prison for decades if the UK Government doesn't act to secure his release. 'We've seen that today at the Supreme Court – just the latest in an endless series of delays. This is the moment of truth for David Lammy: will he live up to his promises, or will he fail Jagtar like the last six foreign secretaries did?' The letter, spearheaded by Mr Johal's local MP Douglas McAllister, was signed by former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, former shadow chancellor John McDonnell and senior Tory MP David Davis, and urged the foreign secretary to intervene. 'The UK Government, following Jagtar's acquittal, should be using all diplomatic efforts at this critical stage to ensure Jagtar Singh Johal is released on bail as soon as possible, pending the discontinuation of the other outstanding cases,' the letter said. 'The time has now come to act quickly and decisively. With the acquittal, we now have an opportunity to hold urgent diplomatic discussions with your Indian counterparts. 'Taking urgent steps now during this window of opportunity will reassure all those lobbying us on Jagtar's behalf that we are doing all we can to secure his immediate release and return to the UK, and therefore reunited with his family as soon as possible.' Mr McAllister added: 'The failure to grant bail to my constituent, Jagtar Singh Johal, serves to demonstrate the need for greater urgency by the foreign secretary and the UK Government to secure my constituent's immediate release and his return to his family in West Dunbartonshire. 'I will be advising the foreign secretary when we meet next week of the strength of feeling across both houses that now is the time to act.' Mr Johal wrote about alleged human rights abuses of Sikhs by the Indian government while living in the UK and was accused of financially supporting terror attacks in Punjab, which he denies. The Foreign Office have been contacted for comment. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
