On 3 December 1971, Pakistan Army attacked India through Sulemanki Headworks 14 km from fazilka and had invaded 7 km inside India via Indian villges of Beriwala, Gurmi Khera and Pakka till Asafwala which is 7 km from Fazila. At Asafwala, Pakistani encountered resistance from the Indian contingent of 226 soldiers who held up the Pakistani advances. Skirmished followed cross various villages, Indian repulsed the Pakistanis who had attacked with high tech guns and tanks, and snatched back all areas taken by Pakistanis except Beriwala village on the border when war suddenly ended with Pakistan's surrender. After the war ended within 13 days, resulting in India's victory, surrender of 92000 Pakistani troops and liberation of Bangladesh from Pakistan, Indian villagers found dead bodies of 82 Indian soldiers who died fighting Pakistani forces and prevented Fazilka from falling into Pakistani hands. They were mass cremated by villagers in a 90 feet long pyre on 17 December 1971 and their relics were enshrined in the memorial as a smadhi (revered shrine). Villagers built a smadhi as a memorial, which is now jointly managed by committee of villagers and the Indian Army, which also runs a computer centre at memorial to impart the vocation training to the villagers.