Bapa's posting to war torn areas near western border during Indo-Pak war in 1965

                                              ( Pencil sketch by Anil Jagalur ) 

Those were the days in Sept 1965 when we were at Jodhpur.......

Indo Pak war was in full swing. Jodhpur, being near to the western border and also being an Air Force base was a target for many air raids. We used to hear, while sitting in trenches dug out by us in front of our house, sounds of Anti Aircraft Guns and also number of bombs, which used to be dropped in Jodhpur (in total 192 bombs were dropped during the seventeen days' war).

My father Dr D Ranga Rao, whom we siblings used to address  as Bapa, was a medical officer posted in Railway Hospital at Jodhpur in Mid 60's.We stayed in a railway quarter, which was just diagonally opposite the hospital.His posting was in outpatient and later in Mobile Dispensary ( A full bogie -hospital-on-wheels) which used to get attached to regular trains and go round the whole division to attend to the patients by stopping at various stations.

All of a sudden, he was asked to go to Gadra Road ( a railway Station near western border) to provide medical help to the Railway personnel, possible victims of Pak air Attack near Munabao (A town, just near the Indo Pak border).There was a news that a train in Barmer -Munabao section was hit by Pakistan  Airforce near Gadra Road.

Usually , Pak planes would bomb the railway tracks so that the army special trains could be prevented from carrying soldiers, ammunition and food etc. Railway employees would then repair the damaged tracks, get hurt in the process sometimes and that's when the railway doctor's team would come into picture.

A team led by Bapa consisting of a compounder, a dresser and a helper, was dispatched to Gadra Road.

For two to three days there was absolutely no news of them. Those days communications were not so efficient so you can imagine the anxiety of my mother and us.

Later, we came to know that two trains were coming on the same track in the night from opposite directions. The trains were not lit, being in the war zone. The driver of Bapa's train blew whistle continually but the  driver from Munabao did not stop.He had been told that Pak bombing would happen any time and so he should get away from that place as fast as possible. He was coming with a great speed with the engine facing backwards and could not see the other train due to darkness.

Eventually, the other train rammed into it head-on and engines became vertical because of this tremendous impact. Bapa's coach was at the far end ,so the impact of collision was not felt much there. Nevertheless, all of them fell, were pushed under the berths and were hurt. They did not know what was going on till the army officer shouted 'doctor help, doctor help.' They all came out and helped those who were wounded. In between, the Pak aircraft would hover and these people would have to pause and lie on the ground till 'all clear' sign was given.

On the third or fourth day, DMO (Divisional Medical Officer) and a couple of doctors came home to meet us. We received them expectantly.He informed that  they had no info about Bapa and his team as yet but asked us not to worry and assured us that all will be well. We were shocked. Amma put up a brave front, lest we should get worried.

Finally, when he returned, he was in terrible shape. His chappals and specs were lost. His feet were full of thorns and bruises (and he was a diabetic!).Their team had to walk in the wild desert for a long distance before they could find a railway station that was not damaged and was functional. From there they could board a train to come back.

He also brought a bullet and a piece of bomb as souvenir which caused a lot of excitement!

Once he recovered, we could get some details out of him. The team attended to quite a few wounded persons, not only railway employees but also others. An army team which was posted there, assisted Bapa with food (mainly tinned items) and other necessities.

Bapa narrated an incident that he found a badly injured person in a desolate spot.The team gave him first aid but could not move him to a safe spot. So they had to leave him. They left some food and a can of water with him and had to reluctantly leave him. He did not know what happened to that person.

Btw, the railway guest house in Munabao where we stayed once was completely destroyed due to bombing.    

This is one memory which keeps coming to our mind every September.