Chapter : 52; Mission Completed
February 5, 1997
The letter was lying on his desk, with its blood-red ink still wet, a quiet but seething challenge.
Mahesh faced him, furrows on his brow. "Sir, this isn't a warning; this is a declaration. They're telling us that they won't back down."
Animesh drummed his fingers on the polished surface of his desk. He wasn't surprised. The moment he began dismantling their network, some form of retaliation was inevitable. But this? This was a direct attempt to shake him.
He let out a sharp exhalation. "Mahesh, get BII to analyze this. I want handwriting samples checked, the ink tested-every possible trace examined. I want to know where this came from and who sent it."
Mahesh nodded. "I'll have our forensic team on it immediately."
"But don't stop our operations," Animesh added. "If anything, double them. I want Rahim Dawood's network to be crushed piece by piece."
Mahesh smirked. "Understood, sir. They're trying to scare you."
But that only arrested the gleam in Animesh's eyes. "Then they don't know me well enough."
BSF & BII Joint Operation: The Noose Tightens
February 7, 1997 – Indo-Myanmar Border
Choked by dense jungles along the borders of Myanmar, a convoy of BSF trucks came to a grinding halt in the dead of night. Elite BII agents and BSF commandos moved silently. Their target: a remote warehouse suspected to be a major hub for arms and drug distribution.
Inside, a dozen men sat in dim lights with crates stacked all over them. An armed katcha guard leaned lazily against the entrance, his rifle slung indolently over his shoulder.
Then—BOOM!
A flash grenade went off, and a blinding light filled the warehouse. It stormed the commandos.
"Drop your weapons!" a BSF officer roared.
Some turned to run; others reached for guns. The sound of suppressed gunfire crackled as the trained snipers dropped armed men. In minutes, the warehouse was secure.
Among those captured was one Arif Hasan, a mid-level operator in Rahim Dawood's network. His arrest was a key piece in the puzzle.
The interrogating BII agents wasted no time at the safe house. Hasan, defiant at first, spat nothing but silence. But as the hours stretched, there were cracks in his resolve.
Finally, he muttered, "You don't know what you're up against… Rahim's men are everywhere. You think you've won, but this is just the beginning."
The agents leaned in for names and locations. Under pressure, Hasan let slip a crucial piece of intelligence.
"Rahim is on the move. He knows you're coming for him."
Animesh had received the update at the break of dawn. He leaned back, his mind racing. Good. If he's running, that means he's scared. And if he's scared, he's vulnerable.
But time was running out.
---
The Political Storm
News of Animesh's crackdown had spread. While the public generally supported his no-nonsense attitude, the opposition smelled an opportunity.
"This is a reckless Prime Minister!" exclaimed one senior opposition leader on live television. "He is dragging us into unnecessary conflicts with our neighbors!"
Even within his own government, some ministers balked. The Foreign Minister warned, "Sir, Myanmar is already uneasy about our actions. If we push too hard, we might strain diplomatic ties."
Animesh listened, his reply unshakeable. "We cannot let our borders become a haven for criminals in the name of diplomatic relations. If Myanmar is sincerely interested in bringing this to a close, let them act. Otherwise, we will do our job."
He had already inserted RAW operatives inside Myanmar—covert, unnoticed, tracking the moves of every Rahim Dawood.
---
The Final Move: Rahim Dawood Falls
February 12, 1997 – Yangon, Myanmar
Deep within a luxurious villa, Rahim Dawood sat amidst his men, unaware that the shadows were stirring around him.
RAW had tracked him down.
Past midnight, an anonymous call arrested the attention of Myanmar's special forces, and by morning, Rahim was in handcuffs being dragged along the streets of Yangon as cameras flashed.
The mastermind had fallen.
When the news reached Animesh, he merely nodded. "Now, let's make sure another one doesn't rise in his place."
---
In coming weeks, the government of Animesh announced The Northeast Development Initiative-a multibillion rupee package covering infrastructure, security, and employment.
" Borders are not pieces of lines drawn on paper or in a sand model," he said at his speech in Guwahati. "Borders are the founding principles of our nation. And I tell you, we would defend it with our last breadth."
The war wasn't over. But India had won her first battle.
And Animesh? Well, he'd just started his.
February 15, 1997 – Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi
The halls of Rashtrapati Bhavan echoed with silence as Prime Minister Animesh Yadav approached the President's office. His face was stern but determined; his mind burdened by the Northeast developments.
In the President's chamber, he sat with an air of sagacity that years of experience and wisdom could bestow upon him. He nodded for Animesh to take a seat.
"You've been making quite a few bold moves, Prime Minister," the President said with a knowing smile. "The crackdown in the Northeast, your stance on border security-it's making waves, both here and abroad."
Animesh nodded. "Sir, our nation stands at a crossroads. What we do now will define our security for the next century. The Northeast was just the beginning."
The President interlaced his hands and, looking at this young leader sitting opposite him, said, "I presume that you didn't come just to brief me on security matters. What's in your mind?"
Animesh leaned forward, his voice clear and level-headed, though laced with import.
"Sir, our neighbors can never be our friends."
A pause. The statement hung in the air.
The President raised his eyebrow but said nothing, letting Animesh proceed.
"We have been fed this illusion for decades-that diplomacy alone can secure our borders, that trade and cultural exchanges and goodwill gestures will make them reliable partners. But history tells us otherwise."
He tapped the desk lightly, underlining his words.
"Pakistan? They have never stopped sheltering terrorists no matter how much peace talks we hold. China? Shake hands in Delhi, build roads in our territory. Bangladesh? We helped them in 1971, yet turned a blind eye to illegal immigration. Nepal and Sri Lanka-they might be small, foreign influences play them against us. Myanmar-corruption and crime just spill over the borders unchecked."
The President sighed. "That is a harsh assessment, Prime Minister."
"It's the truth," Animesh replied. "Trust is a luxury we can't afford in geopolitics. A nation must rely on its strength, not goodwill. I am not saying that we abandon the diplomatic way of solution finding; what I meant was, negotiate from strength rather than hope."
The President watched him for a moment, then nodded. "You speak as though you had seen the future."
Animesh smiled to himself. If only you knew.
"You have my support, Animesh," the President finally said. "But remember, power must be wielded wisely. A nation that stands alone must stand strong."
Animesh got up, smoothening his coat. "That is exactly what I intend to ensure, Sir."
As he stepped out of Rashtrapati Bhavan.
[I didn't intend to write very much about that topic.]