INS Khukri Memorial, Diu

An Indian frigate named Indian Naval Ship Khukri - INS Khukri - was destroyed on 9th December 1971 by torpedoes fired by the Pakistani submarine PNS Hangor during the Indo-Pak war of 1971. The ship sank in the ocean 40 nautical miles off the coast of Diu taking along its crew of l8 officers and 176 sailors.

The commanding officer of the ship, Captain Mahendra Nath Mulla was given the choice of saving himself and the crew by surrendering to the invaders, but the valiant soldier refused to be blackmailed. He gave his life-jacket to a junior officer and went down with the sinking ship along with his compatriots.

Captain Mulla was posthumously conferred Mahavir Chakra for his matchless valour and sacrifice for the honour of the nation. It is also well-known that the Indian Navy took the matching revenge by capturing the port of Karachi within just 48 hours of the tragedy.

A memorial to commemorate the martyrdom of the brave warriors was set up in Diu at 20°42′10″N 70°58′37″E. It comprises a scaled model of INS Khukri enclosed in a glass case. It is located on the top of a hillock in front of the sea. The memorial was inaugurated by Vice Admiral Madhvendra Singh, the flag officer commanding-in-chief of the Indian Navy on 15th December 1999.