Vir Chakra (VrC)

In February 1948, a company of 1 Sikh was pursuing a band of raiders in the Handwara area. The raiders escaped over the bridge at Kapwara. They also set fire to it to prevent our troops using it in pursuit. They had covered the burning bridge with effective automatics. Volunteers were asked for to extinguish the fire while the company took up position covering the bridge. Sepoy Dayal Singh was the first to volunteer. 

Under heavy fire, he skillfully led the party of two other volunteers to the burning bridge and started extinguishing the fire. While so engaged he was hit in the leg by a burst of LMG but nothing daunting, having dressed up his wound, he continued to carry on the task and refused to leave his post until the fire was completely put out. By now the enemy had withdrawn from his covering position and beaten a hasty retreat.

But for his courage, tenacity of purpose and devotion to duty under difficult conditions, the bridge at Kapwara, which was so vital for the pursuit of the enemy the next day, could not have been saved.