My Wanderings - 65 Short Story No.- 45. A Tale of Valour and Honour

I am interested in writing this story for two important   reasons,  first  the hero of this story belonged to my neighbourhood that is Purshyar Habba Kadal Srinagar and the second that he resurrected  the faith of a person who was also  from  Kashmir, a place  for which I still have a  soft corner.
Maj. Gen. S.K.Razdan  of elite parachute troopers para commando actually belonged to Purshyar, but his father had left Kashmir much earlier and was posted near Mathura. Therefore, Razdan sahab was brought up and educated in Mathura. But he used to visit his ancestral home at Purshyar occasionally ,where his grandparents lived till late. He was almost of my age but he appeared much  thinner and timid in his teens as per the boys of his age. Later on I came to know that Razdan sahab joined Indian Army.  It was all a matter of chance that he saw his friend filling the form of Indian Defence services in the college library ,while he had started post-graduation course in Mathematics. After passing the examination Razdan sahab was selected in Army. After various postings in Army Razdan sahab was sent to Kashmir in year 1995, when the militancy was at its peak there . He was then Lt Colonel in the army  . He used to move in the quazigund  market quite oftenly with out uniform . He looked like an ordinary  Kashmiri Muslim to most of people there because of his Kashmiri features  . Once sipping tea on a tea shop, two unknown persons sat near his table and started conversation with him .
"Sir we know that you  originally  belong to Kashmir  and you are  presently  serving in army"  , said one of them.   Razdan sahab had no other alternative but to listen them patiently .
" We have come with a request to you and hope you will listen  to us and take some action in this regard   and help us out of  this problem ", said another. Razdan sahab nodded his head in affirmation and advised  them to narrate their story .
Sir, terrorists have taken  ten girls from the most  respected families of the area to their hideout for the last several months . They are not releasing them despite of requests from various quarters in this connection .  We want that army should launch an operation against those terrorists so that girls are rescued  with out disclosing their identity and  their families honour is saved . 
Razdan sahab after taking some clues about the location  of hideout ,  assured them of  his full cooperation in the matter and took their leave .
It was only after some time Razdan sahab managed to attack the hideout in question alongwith his team. The hide out of terrorists was a two story building which was cordoned off by the army .  Razdan sahab himself  entered the building with another army personnel after overpowering the guards on the gate .They could locate the girls on the first story of the building ,who were preparing meals . The girls were taken in to confidence and advised that they have come for their rescue and are  going to release them .  The girls confided them that all the militants are having meeting in the upper story of house and they were preparing  food for them.
In the mean time militants came down and attacked Razdan sahab and his accomplice . Attack was of great intensity and Razdan sahab fell down and lost his conscience .
Razdan sahab regained his  conscience at the base military hospital Badami Bagh, where he came to know about  the success of operation . The Girls were rescued and sent to their respective places  secretly, with out disclosing their identity  as per the prior  instructions of Razdan sahab. Various militants  were killed in the operation and a few escaped . Two army personals were also martyared in the operation including the accomplice of Razdan sahab , who first entered the  hideout.
Razdan sahab was seriously injured in this operation , his lower limbs got paralysed . He was sent to various army hospitals for specialised treatment but he could not recover the strength of his lower limbs . He was confined to wheel chair  through out his life . Razdan  sahab was awarded Kirti chakra by the Govt. for his valour in this operation . He finally retired as Major General in  army and is now living his retired life at Gurugoan.
While undergoing treatment at Pune Army Hospital, some  parents of the girls whom he had rescued once came to meet him and expressed their  gratitude . They were much obliged to Razdan sahab for not disclosing the identification of their families .They even offered financial help to him for treatment . But Razdan sahab politely declined  their help , as army hospitals were looking after his treatment in a better way .