” I have two birthdays. One I was born with. The second one was given by God…”
” I have two birthdays. One I was born with. The second one was given by God. The year was 2000. I was with my boss driving him the whole day in interior of Kupwara, the most intense and dangerous Counter Insurgency area in J&K. We visited the last post and changed vehicles. I moved to the back up vehicle and the CO of unit being visited took on wheels of my Commanders vehicle. Driving exactly three meters behind him and seven minutes only- I heard the loudest and most violent blast in my life.
It was dust all over. No visibility. As soon as the dust settled, what emerged was my boss’s vehicle in a million pieces. Just four wheels and chassis left, nothing else. We were all over IED’s. One had blown. We were in killing range of militants. We realized that the full impact was taken by Commanders vehicle. We slowly reversed. Quickly took positions- spread out- secured area and called for reinforcements. We were just seven. With reinforcements in sight, three of us collected two torso’s, sheared limbs, body pieces of both casualties and wrapped in a pugree. Saw a Sikh Jawans hair stiff and stretched but alive. One was un-scratched but dead.
My wife and kids were hit with rumours. I was already in a coffin for them..Evening we spoke I was reborn.. Happy Birthday I said.
What did I feel? First thing, can’t do anything for dead, got handful of troops organised to make area safe, had seen bodies flying 50 feet in air, just had a look in that area, we scanned each tree, mound, gap and horizon. In few minutes we took positions. Called for more troops, aggressively increased the perimeter of defence. Images of all five in that vehicle would float in front of my eyes. Final count- three fatal two injured. My wife was in Srinagar. She took on visiting the two survivors in Base Hospital till discharged.
The lesser injured helped the more injured!
Reality hit me a month later. I was scarred for life, but carried on with ten times more aggression and vigour. Later my unit won 12 Gallantry awards and Unit Appreciation during its Batalik(Kargil) tenure.”
