In continuation to my last blog post, in this post, I cover, another regular feature on LC, which I have never seen in media reports or discussed in civilian circles . At places, there is an annual ritual of setting fire to our posts (or attempt to set the post on fire). In most of the areas along LOC, the other side is greener, literally. Their villages extend right up to the LOC while on our side we have a wide buffer zone where noncombatants are not permitted. So in the summers the area is covered by dry grass and pine needles, which readily catches fire.
As it happened , one fine day, I noticed that enemy was not firing at the post but was concentrating on the dry grass to initiate a fire. With persistent firing of tracer rounds,(tracer rounds have incendiary component to let the firer know where his rounds are going), it was only a matter of time before a line of fire started creeping menacingly, towards my post from three sides.
Such a situation gives you an opportunity to know your men. It happens that, there may be fierce looking six footers trembling in their knees while a timid looking guy may remain composed. I myself was not exactly a picture of confidence, till an unassuming NCO walked up to me ‘ke baat se. saab, post kagaz ka to bana nahin.. pathar ka hai, hum appni side se ek aag shuru kara dete’ (The post is not made of paper and we just need to start a fire in the opposite direction). Sure enough, the fire from our side was started and in a couple of hours, the situation was totally under control. By the end of the day the entire area from the post upto LOC was chaared. The lesson learnt was that as long as you had dry grass all around, you can never be at peace; the earlier it is burnt, better it would be; it did not matter, as to who set it on fire, you or the friends across.
Whatever happened on the LOC, we never thought of it as violation of cease fire , but just a routine problem in a job to be done. We just had to find the means to stay there, sustain ourselves and hold on to our defences, under all circumstances. Period. If it meant retaliation, ok, if it meant digging down, so be it.
Loved it !