“You are not from Soibugh either” B K Dass

1995, militancy in the valley was at its peak and it had already spread its tentacles across the tunnel at Jammu the winter capital of the State. Bomb blasts at Jammu had become a routine matter. Bomb blast at Digiana had already cost a heavy toll of human life, besides maiming the limbs of many.

July, 1995 at 11 PM I was in a queue at Digiana STD Booth to avail of a concessional telephone call @ 25% of the routine rate. One in the queue pointed to another person and told me that he too was a Kashmiri. I asked the person about his name. He said that his name was Abdul Rashid (Name changed).

“Despite hostile environment, we Kashmiri Pundits are here at Jammu in scorching heat because of compulsion. What made you to be here at Jammu to suffer the hot climate along with us” said I.

Rashid: “I am posted here at the Police Station Digiana and frisk people to ensure safety and security of people.”

“In the Valley wherefrom do you come” said I.

Rashid: “I am from Sebdan.”

“Do you know Hriday Nath from Sebdan? His father was Mokdum of Sebdan” said I.

Rashid: “No I don’t know Hriday Nath.”

“In that case, you can’t be from Sebdan” said I.

Rashid: “I am from Soibugh.”

“Do you know Ghulam Hassan? He was working in Cooperative Department and he died very young.”

Rashid: “No, I don’t know Ghulam Hassan.”

I said: “Then you are not from Soibugh either.”

Rashid: “I am from Wadwan, adjacent to Sebdan and Soibugh.”

Without referring to any name. I said: “It is a white lie. In any case, you can’t be from Wadwan.”

Rashid: “Why can’t I be from Wadwan?”

I said: “Hundred percent of the Wadwan habitants are followers of Jamati Islami. They are fighting Jihad. How come you are in J&K Police fighting against Mujahids?”

Rashid: “Koranus pueth tuel metie bunduk choen verien. Atie yelie ne drav kinhee, hendostan chue boed muluk te mai dichuekh nokrie tohie tulushie kurnea bapuet” (I swear by Koran. I too picked up gun as a militant and fought against the Government for four years. It did not yield any result. India is a great country that provided me with a job to frisk you people.)

Brijdass te Girdass chue venan lasiv te basiv