With love, from Papa!!

It was 0045 hours when I last saw the time, while I, Singh and Kumar were heading back from the regular OP patrolling. Maj. Sharma told one of the Jr. AFT Officers who tried to quiz both of us with a raised eyebrow.

What happened after that? He questioned while he adjusted his beret.

Enroute back, somewhere around 0055 hours we heard the sound of a shot which was supposedly directed towards the rear end of the jeep, by the time we could gauge the seriousness of the scenario, a couple of more shots hit the left side, the side to which I was around. By now, it was confirmed that we are being ambushed in a traditional guerrilla warfare modus operandi. Nothing we could do but put to off the headlights and took charge our weapons. Sepoy Kumar also grabbed the rope and an anchor hook.

Maj. Did you take any hit? Lt. Col. Chinoy from the panel uttered.

No. I was good. I replied.

Then? The officer continued...

It was all dark there, very cold, chances were very bright that it would snow and sheer silence curtained everything. The only sound we could hear were unending howling of wild dogs or perhaps wolfs. We 3 saw each other and decided to abandon the jeep and we crawled 12-15 metres towards a big tree. We 3 breathed so aloud that all we could hear then was the sound of agile breaths we took. Nothing happened for the next 10 minutes. We could not see anything. We could not even see each other’s faces. Amidst we all had the gut feeling that the ordeal has just begun and somebody is watching us from night vision lens and soon they will hit back hard.  I heard Maj. Singh laughed aloud, that was his mixed state of feelings, perhaps. And then, soon after that, he signalled us to run as quickly as we can and we started to run towards the opposite end of the road. The logic was if initially the bullet came and hit at the left side, then probably, the intruders by and large would try to ambush us from left. Though, it wasn’t certain. I explained.

Officers, were you nervous? Somebody from the panel came ahead and questioned.

The moment he asked this, I and Singh both looked at each other and smiled.

Negative. We were good. Singh answered in an absolute state of confidence.

How about Sepoy Kumar? Lt. Col. Chinoy curiously questioned.

We all were good. I replied.

Hmmm Ok. After that! He asked.

Everybody seemed so involved and glued to the hearings by now.

We continuously walked towards the North East for about 300meters.  At around, 0100 hours, we heard the sound of a gunshot which was triggered from a distance not more than 20 metres. We quickly got down to the ground and fired 10-12 shots towards the South East. Amidst all this, we couldn’t resist ourselves and adopted aggressive defence, the strategy to which we are trained for; Shoot or 1:1/2/3/4/n combat to kill. I responded.

You guys are quite brave, what happend after that. The Jr. Attorney reacted in a typical sarcasm. I felt like grabbing his index finger which he pointed towards Maj. Singh. However, I smiled to it.

We crawled backwards in separate positions, I was in RE position, Maj. Sharma took front position and Sepoy. Kumar took 180 circle mark. We both blazed our guns continuously for 2-3 minutes to puzzle the intruders and to cover Sharma him to gauge the scenario. Sharma was 20 meters ahead of us. He signalled us for 6 intruders. Maj. Singh answered.

As soon as I saw 6 intruders I signalled to them about it that they have been identified. The intruders appeared teenagers, spoke Dimasa and carried sophisticated guns. And, by now they knew that it’s not going to be easy for them and it’s going to be the survival of the deadliest now. And, sir, as you must have been briefed that we are trained to fracture the ambush, and so we did it flawlessly. I answered to the panel.

After that? Lt. Col. Chinoy gathered his courage back to raise his voice again and questioned.

Sir, then we did what we are trained for; we managed to chip in bullets to 2, and 4 ran away in the jungle. I replied.

Had it been such a plain vanilla case, you would not have been called here for the hearing session. Another gentleman questioned us while he stood up and showed up his presence to the panel.

The report says, the remaining 4 sustained severe inhuman injuries with brutal spinal fractures. This is clearly a case of Human right violations 10986 Act blah blah blah. Jr. Attorney explained.

Sir, we have no clue about it. I reacted.

Are you serious? Brig. Dahiya questioned as he seemed to be convinced with such acts imposed upon us.

Absolutely. Maj. Singh responded.

.....And, the closure bell rang.

Gentleman, next hearing would be in 7 weeks, please come prepared. Brig. Dahiya asked us as he enclose his pen with a cap.

My son, I saw, was asleep on my arm by now, as I narrated this story to him. Trust, he slept with this story and woke up next morning to asked me continue with this...