The Liberation

"Oh my God! It is so dark in here. I cannot see a thing." Nellie wanted to cry at the top of her voice. But no sound came from her mouth except a rattle of dried blood and phlegm and a bleak groan , all that could be emitted from a gagged mouth. "Where was she?" , "What had happened?" . Nellie desperately tried to remember the stream of events that had landed her in this pitch black darkness.As she gathered her thoughts, she felt an intense and throbbing pain in her head. Her mouth was tied! her hands were tied at the back. As she fiercely wrestled to set herself free, she realized she could not move her right leg, she could feel the injury and pain in her thigh. It was a bullet wound. Yes! she remembered! Her thoughts raced to Rizwana. Where was she?. "Rizwana! Rizwana!" she tried to shout, but again no sound emitted from her throat. Nellie now concentrated on understanding this hell she was caught in. It was so painful and hard beneath her body. With every little movement, the sharp rock like pieces hurt and stabbed her body and crunched beneath. Nellie became aware that her body was swinging in motion as if she was in a vehicle. Was it a train?

Suddenly, there was a sharp, shooting sound through the air, "Pooohm! Poohm!". The girl had an alert mind. She quickly realized it was a goods train carrying coal and bitumin. " But where was she going? How did she come here?" she asked herself.

Nellie's last memories was of being at the Bangladesh "Swadhin Betaar Kendra" ( Independent Bangladesh radio) along with Rizwana an active worker of the Muktibahini. That was 26 March 1971 . Shiekh Mujibar Rahaman had declared East Pakistan to be free from the clutches of West Pakistan. The hero was being interviewed by the BBC correspondent David Frost at the Radio Station. Nellie and Rizwana were specially invited at this interview and to be a witness to this historic moment of liberation. Nellie, Nellie Sengupta was the Mata Hari of the Indian Army. One of the best Intelligence Officers of the Indian Army, she was posted in East Pakistan by Mrs Gandhi along with a few other trusted officers since the 1970 election stalemate. In spite of Shiekh Mujib having won the general elections of both the Pakistans, President Yahya Khan of East Pakistan refused to acknowledge him as the leader and thereafter began "Operation Searchlight", the innocents being killed abducted and raped in East Pakistan. Indira's government had to intervene. The liberation army consisted of brave and spirited men and women but General Tikka Khan's forces along with the home bred Rajakars proved too heavy on them. Mrs Gandhi responded to the appeals of the prime minister Tajuddin and Nellie was planted at Khulna while the Indian army started spreading itself all over the sensitive parts of the newly declared Bangladesh.

Clad in a cotton printed saree, it was hard to identify Nellie as an intelligence officer. Short and stocky she had arms which could crush a man to death and eyes of an eagle which could see furlongs ahead. Nellie started acting quickly. She dragged her wounded body painfully towards a chink of light that had a shape of a slim line. Moving ahead only caused her body to get bruised further by the sharp edges of the hard coal pieces, she panted for a few seconds and lunged on . "If only she could reach that light." she thought. Her eyes were slowly getting accustomed to the darkness.

What she initially felt was a bundle of clothes slowly took the shape of a body, an unconscious female body that was covered in soot ,blood and mire! It's chest heaved up and down."That must be Rizwana!","So she is not dead!" . She had to be saved but before that Nellie must set herself free. She began the painful process once again. The train, jolted, halted and hooted making her job all the more difficult. But she reached . She finally reached the light. It was the rectangular door of the goods train and it was bolted from outside!

Sheikh Mujib was busy explaining to Frost why Bangladesh rightfully belonged to the Bengali Muslims . In fact, the results of the General elections should have made him the President of entire Pakistan had not President Yahya Khan betrayed him. "From tomorrow", he said, "the Liberation Army would fight under Major General Osmani Baig, to free the land of the torturers". Rizwana and Nellie listened in rapt attention to the leader as 'Bangla Betaar' broadcasted the show live to millions of Bangaladeshis who worshipped him. Shiekh Mujib's life was in danger. He could be killed any moment. Among a few Mukti Faujis and officers who were entrusted with his life, were Nellie and Rizwana. Nellie remembered being shot at her leg seconds before the interview came to an end. Masked men in black broke through the heavy glass gates of the broadcasting room which was padded with sound proof green linings. Nellie distinctly remembered those men buckling down the 'Muktifaujis' with the butt of their guns. Two of them approached Shiekh Mujib and then there a sweet, green gas which enveloped her senses. She remembered nothing more. "Where was Sheikh Mujib now? They must have killed him." She thought.

The metallic door of the compartment had an inside hinge which had a hook like projection. Nellie painfully turned around and lifted up her hands behind, hoping that the rope which tied her hands get entangled in the hook. After two unsuccessful attempts and a duration which seemed an eternity. the ropes got hooked on to the projection. She pulled hard and harder. She could feel the wrists slashing as flesh blood wetted her torn blouse. Her hands were finally free. Quickly she pushed the door with all her might and all the force which her bruised body could muster. There was a clank but it was secure from outside. She had to try other tricks. Nellie untied her gag and coughed out the blood and phlegm in violent fits. There was no water. She ran her swollen, bitter tongue over her lips which were now a crust of dried blood. A shiver ran down her spine. She had heard of the concentration camp of the West Pakistanis. Camps where prisoners were being brutally tortured and killed. So, she and Rizwana were now prisoners of war. It could be that the Sheikh was in this train too. "But Nellie, this cannot be your end!" she said to herself. "You got to do something."

She turned around to hear the faint groans of Rizwana and slithered to reach her. "Rizwana! wake up! Help me." Nellie mumbled with difficulty. Just then she spotted a tong beside Rizwana for shoving coals. She picked it up and reached the door once again. Violent pushing had lend the door slightly ajar and she could see the bolt outside. If only she could push the lever up from the socket, the door would open. Nellie placed the tong strategically and started pushing the lever upward. After a few attempts the door opened with a sudden jolt and Nellie found herself hanging face down from the carriage . Cold and bitter winds swept across her face. A little hurtle and she would fall into the tracks. Under the pale light of the moon, Nellie carefully lifted her palms and saw them after a long time...black and swollen with wounds, dried blood and soot. She tried to flex her fingers and groaned out in pain. Nellie had to pull herself back inside the compartment. There was Rizwana to be looked after. But how could she? Her legs were numb in pain.

There was a stale breathing near her waist, which smelt of blood. Nellie realized it was Rizwana. Rizwana's left hand was paralyzed with bullets. She tried to pull Nellie with her remaining hand. Minutes ticked away.

Suddenly the train came to a screeching halt. The girls knew the soldiers must have sensed something. Either they act now or die. Nellie now only had to pull in her shoulders inside the carriage but it would take a long sustained effort. In the faint light she could read the letters inscribed in Urdu and Arabic on the stone culvert across. "Quetta, Pakistan." As an Intelligence Officer Nellie knew many languages. They were indeed in the enemy zone. This was the aridest and coldest part of the country, near Baluchistan.

"Jump off, Rizwana!" Nellie rasped, "Drag me down too". She could eye the two black figures silhoutted against the night sky. They were running towards them. "This is our last chance", she repeated. Rizwana jumped to the tracks and pulled Nellie down. The girls panted between the tracks before they knew they had to make a final run. Nellie could see their pointed guns as they ran towards them on the track beside. Nellie had never thought she would have to die this way.

A blinding flash and a sharp hooting noise. A train swerved past them at a lightening speed, sparing them just by inches. The night only revealed the chopped and mangled body parts of the men. Nellie pulled out a microscopic walky talky from her innerwear. " Hello! Hello! Dhaka station. SOS, SOS, Nellie Sengupta we are here, deported to Quetta by enemy . Will wait for your forces to arrive." Nellie and Rizwana gathered their remaining strength to limp to the dry bushes by the tracks, till they fell unconscious again. The darkness was giving away to the first faint light of the morning. The Fajr azaan wafted its faint melody in the skies.