4/13/2017
Jeerwah, Kashmir
“A perfect sunny day” thought captain sandeep as he yawned his sleep out.
The warming sun is always a delight among the living in the chilly heaven on earth.
It was a polling day - a bye election & captain along with his 30 men were to protect and assist 12 men and 3 women officers of election commision with the process.
The captain was watching birds chirp in the orchards dotting the valley when a nearby mosque submitted to Azaan.
Allah hu Ak’bar …..
“Sasyakaal Sirji, the civilian officers have set up the campus” hawaldar Rampal
“Good we should expect heavy polling today. Afterall shiekh has been roaring against AFSPA”
Rampal nods. A fear clearly reflects his thoughts.
“ Don’t worry, they all do it for money. If we remove AFSPA, Shiekh will be running to delhi.”
The captain signalled to get ready and left for an inspection of local mood.
Kashmir is a complex place today. Locals smile and greet ‘salaam walaikum’ even to soldiers and mostly officers. But once the Azaadi naras rise - boys, women and children thong to streets like
obedient ants. And..
‘Pakistan se rishta kya , illAllah ilaha’
‘Hum kya chahte Azadi!’, ‘Hum kya chahte Azadi!’
‘Nara-e-Takbeer, Allah-u-Akbar!’
The captain was at the gate of Jeerwah-govt. school (which was to be today’s polling station) thinking of Kashmir without humans. Lately, the poetic captain overwhelmed by the Beauty of this Land started dreaming it without the slogans, azaan, towns and even humans.
The thought was natural - in the movie ‘Kingdom of Heaven’ , Jerusalem - the holy place of Jews / Christians / Muslims was a Prize of Pride for both Muslim emperor Salahuddin & Christian kings. Both wanted to slaughter given the chance the public and both emperors were driven by religious fanatics. Till Date Jerusalem is an uneasy place. A alive 1000 year battlefield scar - captain thought.
Kashmir drew the same reaction yet captain wondered - a kashmir without kashmiris.
The day was a busy one. The polling booth was not as crowded as expected while captain was worried by reports that a massive cordon by stone-pelters was ready to welcome their way to Srinagar. Besides there were civilian officers, few of them locals revealing whose identity would be distasteful in these times. Mob is never forgiving in Kashmir.
3:30 pm :
“Is it raining in april” maqbool farhan asked while smiling. He was deputy-in-charge and had a smooth day with EVM’s ( electronic voting machines).
“Ya it rains a lot in these parts. Wind up, we should leave early. No-one will come now.”
Captain said calmly. He expected bombs but was content with regular stones.
“Captain Sandeep reporting from poll-booth 214”
“ How's the day son?” Lt Shinde was cool that his officers had a very relaxing day as only around 15% voted in by-polls.
Politicians and democracy made little sense in Kashmir mainly in these areas. The terror mafia, hawala money, vicious politicians, and lastly army were intermingled in such a vicious web that a true suddhi was required to filter Pakistan from minds of Kashmiris.
“Sir, we expect heavy pelting. A lot cash flowed in. Porkis are upbeat.
We will leave shortly. Shouldn’t be a problem.”
“Goodluck son. A drone will keep tab.”
..
There were 3 roads out of town from the booth. Captain was confused between two.
The third went through narrow streets. The 2nd road went along a canal and linked with highway at northern edge of town. The 3rd road went through main market of town was the shortest yet was at risk from blockade.
There was an armoured Truck and a gypsy (army-jeep). The gypsy was prone to unruly protesters who at times push light convoys off into Jhelum in Srinagar. Also the 2nd road was dotted by high rise buildings and went almost thrice the main-market road around the town before linking NH-1A.
“Sir, which way should we go?” hawaldar rampal asked in a hurry.
“Are the civilians packed?”
“Yes, the EVMs & civilians are ready. Our soldiers have handed the premises to headmaster. We should be on the highway before Maghrib (a short sunset islamic prayer).”
“Hmm! Isn’t Sheikh's house on main market?”
“Yes, largest one on chowki. Stopping there sir?”rampal asked nervous stiffening hands.
“Even if Shiekh offers a buffet in parliament, i won’t feed my Dog there.”
“And no, we are going through main market road. We will be on highway before owls wake.” Rampal hurried away to inform the drivers.
The jeep is a weak-spot yet important on army patrols. It can hurry away - can be used as shield and can be abandoned to cool fiery mobs who rampage it to quench hunger.
“Allah hu Akbar” “hindustan murdabad!” “ …..illallah ilaha” “pak..pakis..pakistan”
Roared the crowd as the convoy moved out of govt. School towards shah-ali road which went through main market. The road went straight 1.3 kms then took a right turn through market chowki and went through parched residence buildings i.e another 4 km before opening into NH-1A.
Almost near the main market,
“There is always someone” captain thought as he saw 10-12 boys throwing stones and tearing their larynx with praise for
THE PAKISTAN THEY NEVER SEEN
& THE ISLAM THEY NEVER FOLLOWED
“JIHAD” - “the captain thought was the name of a basic human instinct to fight for good and helpless. Then was it necessary to name it Jihad and call it fight for ISLAM. ISLAM may have been the good for people during prophet. But the fools of today have turned it into an ideology for domination. Wouldn't it be better”
CRRAKKK (a stone took out the blue siren of gypsy) captain ordered to move through the boys . The vehicles were protected by shields.
‘Humans or Muslims’ ‘ Can’t recollect .. humans i think!!!’ captain slapped self out of the thought.
As the convoys went past the boys the captain was puzzled. ‘Awkward Silence!’ ‘did gandhi visit yesterday!’ The place looked deserted mostly.
The convoy was about to take the rightward turn to main market when ..
ALLAH HU AKBAR ALLAH HU AKBAR ALLAH HU AKBAR
Roared the crowd followed by
THAK TAKK TKK TK TKK TKTKK TPTPP TKKTHKKK
“It's Raining Stones and it is raining HARD” rampal screamed on wireless from the truck.
Swarmes of localites- children, ladies & men of all ages
ALL OVER - THE ROAD, ABOVE BUILDINGS, IN BALCONIES & ON THE WALLS.
IT WAS A HUMAN BLOCK !!!
Even the sturdy captain was jostling with indecision.
“Hold-on ! STOP!” “Guns out, Lookout for rooftops”
The Panthera T-6 Armoured carrier is designed to contain mobs. It had gun-points on roof and sides.
Rampal looked on at the Gipsy - It can’t move if protesters surround it.
“Rampal, Close in on me and stay on the back.” captain thought even if jeep is hit by kerosene bombs and fails, T-6 can push it slowly through the Mob.
Then it occurred to his sight.
Near the shaikh house just behind a huge Porki flag, 2 men seemed to carry AK’s on their back. The rooftops seemed to be barricaded with asbestos as if the chowk was an ambush - the red zone of a hornet’s nest”
The captain was not clear what to do. If he moved on - it would take hours and if there was an ambush- jerusalem’s story would repeat.
Irony is here the fight is between a non-discriminating nation and its disillusioned religio-fanatic citizens.
The Captain was thinking like a mad scientist now. He could turn back but militants must have laid greater ambush in canal road with maybe landmines. One thing every soldier knew was militants never wanted to get out of populated areas. The people protected them - some under peer pressure, some as continuity, some due to money and islam. Canal road was perfect to lay mines as it has lesser population density, tall buildings to target on one side and a canal to kill on other.
“Captain, drone images say canal road is clear. Why did you prefer population?”
“Sir, canal rigged. AK’s around. They are planning it since days it seems”
“Cap, the school is at a height. Turn back and secure perimeter. Hang-on till reinforcements. RR-138 convoy on its way.”(RR-Rastriya Rifles)
“Affirmative, jai-hind!”
“Rampal, Turn back slowly . LMG on. Mere kandhe pe do smoke dal” cap. Ordered
Two smoke cans instantly fell in front of the gypsy creating a virtual cinema screen.
The crowd seemed to chase.
The convoy slowly moved back. Stone shower lessened as the convoy turned the corner.
As the convoy neared exit into the uphill road towards the school,
“Captain, the school has been set in fire. Turning back is a negative. Proceed with caution on canal road.” Lt. shinde roared into the radio.
Sandeep was in a fix- the canal road must be magma by now he thought.
A long pause..
“Sandeep, u need to let the T-6 move front. It can take bullets and mine yet fire back. Abandon gipsy.” “move quick son, the mob is pushing towards you. Fire if fired at. Keep me informed”
“Turning to canal road sir” captain said with a rage and fear both
“Rampal, Move ahead into canal road. Stop at view-point.”
View-point was a wide spot for tourists to see the magnificent snow-capped mountains and the orchids.
“Sir, aap T-6 mein aa jaiye.”
“No, I have a plan”
At view-point, 6 jawans and captain sandeep with rampal shouted “jai-Hind” concluding a meeting.
The jawans along with captain moved into the jeep and went into an alley adjoining the view-point. The time to hunt had just begun.
Rampal took positions at LMG to cover if needed.
As the jeep moved 200m into alley, few men spotted the army jeep and looked confused. Soon they shouted “shame shame indian army” “shame shame indian army”
The word had spread like wildfire that an army convoy was forced to retreat and got trapped in canal road.
The captain thought ‘these must be look-outs for the militants who will precisely target both vehicles at secluded areas. And by the way the locals always know. So no sympathy’
As the jeep closed in on the group, 3 men appeared from behind and started pelting stones.
“Closer”
The nearest man shouted “hindustan murdabad” and ran off into the back of the jeep.
“NOW” “PAKAD USE”
The gypsy door slammed open. 2 unarmed soldiers jumped out like lions and catapulted on the man (shocked by rapid events).
2 armed soldiers covered their back and the locals knew the look - the look of rage on a soldier’s face meant he is ready to shoot if even a twig breaks.
The man was pulled into the jeep - he seemed like a shaking sack with no real power.
Into the jeep, before the soldier slammed the door lock, the gipsy was turning 30 kmph with a ‘SCREECH’
The engine roared, shouting lost amidst.
The captain looked like a man looking to teach his opponent a lesson for lifetime.
A soldier is also a common man like us. He is toughened physically and mentally but he never loses the charm of the softer smiling world. Afterall when we don’t leave comfort for a moment we should know a soldier too needs comfort.
The essence is with civilians both in truck and out in the mob; with soldiers who have families and dreams; with the knowledge that pakistan always uses its cleverness to fool India : WHY THE HELL SHOULD MY SOLDIER DIE ????
WHY CAN’T THE SOLDIER BE THE SHREWD LION WHO KNOWS HIS WAY OUT OF TRAPS ? AND NOT THE DUMB ONE WHO GETS KILLED IN THE NAME OF RIGHTS IN A LAND PROTESTING TO JOIN A NATION OF NO-RIGHTS???
The plan was clear. Captain sandeep knew militants would never want to hurt a kashmiri muslim local in front of kashmiris. This will turn the rage of their host on them.
At the viewpoint, Rampal took out a L-shaped shield from the truck and ordered a soldier to bring few metres of rope.
The L-shaped shield was firmly tied on jeep’s front and GUESS !!
The man was tied on its front tightly in a sitting position - hands stretched and mouth shut by a cloth.
A soldier named Gyanesh glued a piece of paper to the man’s chest with a note -
‘Stone Pelters will meet this Fate’
The engines roared back on. The man struggling a bit but he knew he couldn’t do a bit more. Stones must be his dread today; so the Captain thought.
The convoy moved full throttle and towards the MARKET PLACE.
The crowd was upbeat and could be seen at the opening of main market road.
To dominate over is a trait nurtured by some ideologies : and its taste makes the dominating person frenzyy.
The crowd in this case went frenzyy.
A few boys at very distant could be seen throwing rocks.
Still far away.
As the convoy closed in and the sight become as pure as jhelum, the shouters suddenly looked in awe… RAW SHOCK!!!
The captain gave a laugh for a moment.
As much as he was fearful of consequences, he was dreading to teach the islamist Kashmiris a simple lesson ‘The Army also defends itself’
“Limits will be broken if Civilian society forgets to be Civil” grudged the captain to his soldiers.
Not a single stone was thrown afterward. Shiekh was a silent spectator. In fact he is the person who sympathises with islamist kashmiris before elections for votes.
The convoy passed smoothly as locals looked both stunned and to captain’s view “ a little bit relieved”
The convoy dropped local civilians at a safe distance and assured they reach their houses safely. The convoy moved on and as a part of awareness - after a few villages the man was released.
CIVILIANS or CIVIL i.e courteous and polite. Islamist kashmiris are not Civilians and apart from terrorism finance, they breed their sons and daughters into an uncertain land of darkness very much away from Islam itself.
As for the Indian Army, its a force with ordinary persons trying their best to do non-ordinary work. Even legends die but doesn’t mean they are expendable.
I don’t expect my countrymen be it kashmiris or soldiers to die fighting each other. Support the army intellectually and brainstorm techniques for the victory of Hope over Darkness.
Jai-Hind!
THE STORY IS A FICTIONAL STORY WHICH HAS NO RELATION TO ANY REAL INCIDENT. IT HAS TAKEN INSPIRATION FROM THE INDIAN ARMY & INDIANS.
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