Sometime hence,
In Chandimandir cantonment, Chandigarh, Punjab.
I was with the newly formed Delta team which acted as an emergency response unit to the cantonment and the Indo Pak border.
There atleast ten such detachments, spread in or near hostile zones. Before moving to Chandigarh, I had to talk to the CO as I had to form a team before getting promoted to the rank of MAJOR, which was, at that point of time, 7 months away. My team included specialists like Naik(Corporal)Venkatesh, who was ex SAPPER (Combat Engineer) belonging to Karnataka. He was formerly with the Bomb disposal squad of his regiment, and then chose to join the SF, specialising in demolitions.
Lance Naik ( Lance Corporal) Zeheran was a jolly young guy from J&K. He was formerly with the AMC (Army Medical Corps). He heard of the operations in UN and got, somehow motivated to join the SF as a Medic.
Naik(Corporal) Francis, a smart personality, belonging to Goa, the native place same as mine. He got inspired by the Surgical Strikes of 2016 and straight away went to Banglore, to The Parachute Regiment regimental center for probation. He went on to become a sniper.
Paratrooper Rohan (now a Naik/Corporal) was awarded SM ( Sena Medal/ Army medal) for gallantry during his BALIDAAN PADH! He was from New Delhi and was a SPOTTER( a specialist who assists the sniper about the targets, location, wind, range and so on) as he also trained as a sniper.
This created an elite team known as DELTA.
I had to once fly to J&K to see a fellow officer from the 4 Para SF. He was a childhood friend who got shot in the abdomen during an encounter. He was admitted there, in the base hospital. This was the time when I met the Surgeon, who gave me blood, again. She again pointed a finger at me and spoke in a loud voice "Oh!? You're the SF guy whom I met in the plane!" She was so loud that everyone in the corridor, stopped and started looking at me. She said that I owed her a coffee. I couldn't refuse but agreed to her. She lead me to a cafeteria inside the compound. I had forgotten to ask her name and, so I asked her this time, taking off my beret and putting it inside my cargo pocket, on my lower leg. She told me that her name was MALSOMI. She told me that she belonged to Mizoram(A state in North Eastern India) and was practicing cardiology. She had an internship which was initiated by the army to train them as field operations during UN peacekeeping missions.
After some of the pep talk I asked her why she chose to give me blood? She smiled, and replied that her uncle was in the Army and I just reminded her of her uncle.
She asked my name( which I shall reveal later in the story) and where I belonged. I told he that I was from Goa. She also asked me where I was now while sipping on her coffee. I said that I had been posted to Chandigarh. Suddenly my phone rang. It was Rakesh's call.
I picked up the call " Jai Hind! Captian ****** here".
She looked stunned hearing me from changing my tone from a friendly soothing voice to rock hard tone. It was a call telling that an isolated and remote bunker had been captured by PAKISTANI INTRUDERS. I was, as always, SUMMONED BACK!
To be CONTINUED....