Nation First
Nation First
Colonel Vikram was both surprised and happy to see Dr. Aasit at the army camp. He got up from his chair, heartily welcomed him, and asked, “How come you're here, my friend?"
The doctor smiled and said, “I saw the news on television about the killing of three terrorists. Are you even getting a medal? I was passing by, so I thought to congratulate you."
Colonel Vikram smiled and said, “Come with me. I was going for an inspection in the camp. Let's walk and talk, and I'll show you around. Then we can have tea and snacks when we return."
Dr. Aasit nodded, agreeing to the plan. As they wandered through the camp, Dr. Aasit's eyes were drawn to a soldier. Carrying 4-5 kg of weight on his hands, he was walking on his knees, his body drenched in sweat. The sun peaked, and the soldier crawled on the scorching ground. Curiously, the doctor looked at the colonel. Without meeting his gaze, the colonel, focusing elsewhere, said, "He didn't follow the rules. This is his punishment. In the army, we never compromise on rules and regulations."
The doctor asked, "But what mistake did he make?"
The colonel began recounting the events of that day: “Listen, doctor, two days ago, we received information that some terrorists were attempting to trespass the border and enter our country. To stop them, I, along with eight other soldiers, marched toward the location. According to the intel, there were no more than three terrorists, so not many soldiers were required. We reached the spot where they were trying to cross the border. Eight soldiers were trained under my command, each informed of their positions. One of them, Anupam, was hiding in a cavity covered with branches, equipped with binoculars to monitor every movement along the border. Another soldier, Kartikey, was tasked with relaying information between Anupam and me to the other six soldiers. He was also responsible for tracking the whereabouts of the terrorists, their numbers, and their distance from us. The other six soldiers were stationed, awaiting my order to 'shoot.' In the darkness of the night, we were ready. I planned to let the terrorists come close so we could learn more about their group and then attack accordingly. If we captured one of them, we could discover their purpose for entering India.
Anupam, focused through the binoculars, was updating us on their movements via walkie-talkie. Kartikey informed us that the terrorists had arrived—two of them, heavily armed and carrying large bags. However, according to my information, there were supposed to be three terrorists. The intel was accurate, and the source was trustworthy. So, where was the third one? I ordered Anupam to let them come within range, thinking the third might be lagging. It was crucial to catch all three. Both terrorists were approaching, but the third one remained unseen. I was unsure of what to do. If they got too close, it would be dangerous. I was anxious about the lives of my soldiers and determined to capture at least one of the terrorists. Suddenly, I heard a 'bang' from behind me. I turned and saw that Anupam had stood up, covering me. He had shot at the terrorist who had been hiding in the shrubs, trying to shoot me.
A second later, I would have been dead. The terrorists’ plan was clever. One of them had crossed the border a day earlier and was hiding there. According to their plan, when the other two approached the border, the hidden one would start firing to distract us, allowing them to enter India unnoticed with their luggage. I looked at Anupam with pride. He quickly returned to his position and informed us that the other two terrorists were fleeing. I gave the order to shoot, and both terrorists were killed. Our mission was successful, and the government appreciated our efforts. We were awarded, as you know.
After some thought, the doctor said, "Truly commendable. But you still haven't explained why you punished him. Who is he?"
Colonel Vikram replied, "According to the government, we accomplished our mission by killing three terrorists. But only I know that our mission failed. According to army regulations, I had no choice but to punish Anupam. He left his position, disobeying orders, which ruined our entire plan. As a result, all three terrorists were killed, and we failed to learn their purpose for trespassing. Moreover, we were unable to discover what they were carrying with them. Therefore, I had no option but to punish Anupam, so he would adhere to the rules in the future. It’s crucial because we bear the responsibility for the security of Hindustan. For us soldiers, the country is more important than life itself. Here, discipline and rules outweigh feelings and emotions, and we follow them strictly." Controlling his nerves, the colonel added, "Anupam, four more rounds remain… Be quick…"