LEFT TO THE WOLVES

 

 

February 2, 1995. Ashok Kumar was about to board the train at Chakmaru Station in Pakistan. His destination was Lahore from where he would cross over to India. Suddenly, two Pakistani rangers, appeared from nowhere and accosted him. “Why is there mud on your shoes?” the probing eyes of the rangers sought to know. “Sukumal gaon se ayah hun (I have come from Sukumal village).” Ashok replied. “What’s your father’s name, what do you do, what about your family, wife and children,” the barrage of questions did not stop. “Come to the rest room,” the rangers ordered.

Inside, Ashok was made to take-off his pathani suit and his undergarments. The game was up. Ashok, spying for the Indian security forces since 1989 was caught. For the next eight years, this man would go through a nightmarish journey of terror and torture. The TSI team located Ashok and others from Dadwan and Kang villages in Punjab, who risked their lives for the nation, only to be left in the lurch, after being caught by the Pakistani forces.

Dadwan, which falls under the Gurudaspur Lok Sabha Constituency, is known as “Jasuson ka gaon (Village of spies).” Poverty, unemployment and agrarian crisis force the men of these bordering villages to work as spies for India. They are recruited by the Border Security Force and once trained, are handed over to the Army. After further training they are pushed across the border. The mission is to get strategic information and location of Pakistani armed units, camps and forces. These rag-tag James Bonds are paid between Rs 2,000-Rs 6,000 per month – the price fixed for being a martyr.

The car stops near the serpentine lanes and by-lanes of Dadwan, a christian dominated village. The car stops near the serpentine lanes and by-lanes of Dadwan, a christian dominated village.

Parveen is washing clothes in the courtyard. It takes some time to win over her confidence, considering her suspicion that the TSI team may be actually from the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) or Intelligence Bureau (IB). “My cousin, who stays next door, worked as a spy. He has been in Pakistan jail for over eight years. Repeated representation to the Army officials, politicians and ministers evoked no result. The Army has disowned him,” gritting her teeth, she squeezes the drenched clothes with full force. Parveen calls 16-year-old Lucky from the next house. Lucky’s father, David, working as an Indian spy, is languishing in Pakistani jail for over eight years. The boy unscrolls a crumpled letter from Central Jail, Gujranwala, Block No. 5 B, Pakistan. The last line shows the agony of the Indian, left to the enemy wolves by his masters. “Panchhi uda, ja baitha bahut door. Milne ko dil bahut karta hai, nahin milne deti taqdir (The bird flew away. Sat on a distant branch. It wants to meet you all. But the fate prevents him), Lucky read out the letter. “I am told I could be released soon. No idea. How is Lucky and other children? Give them my love. Have faith in God, he would find a way out,” David had written. To feed the family, Lucky’s mother works as a maidservant.

We cross over to the house of David’s brother, Paul, another spy, languishing in a Pakistani jail. Three little girls, Jyoti, Rahi, Najra, are huddled together on the roof in front of a tiny bonfire. “Mummy kaam karne gayi hain (mother has gone for work)” 10-year-old Jyoti, oldest among them, smiles. It is the same old story. After Paul’s arrest, their mother has been forced to work as a maidservant. None of the children go to school. From their rooftop, these three little girls watch children playing on the school ground, being run by the local church. “Pachas rupeey lete hain. Mummy kahti hai, paise nahin hain (They charge a fee of Rs 50. Mummy says we have no money),” Jyoti grins again. Sitting in the South Bloc, with an electric heater gently warming the room, an Indian Army official, refusing to be identified, laments on the plight of the prisoners in Pakistani jail. “It is sad, I know,” he nods his head vigorously. “But we are in touch and taking necessary steps,” he said. “Most of them cross over for smuggling. Army has nothing to do with them,” he scoffs.

“I told them I am a smuggler. That was the only way out,” Ashok said. After being picked up from the Railway Station, Ashok was shifted to a Sialkot Jail. “They kept torturing me and I was subjected to 13 months of solitary confinement,” Ashok narrated. He was again moved to Gujranwala Jail where he was kept for nearly three years. ”Kutton ko jo khana deten hain, wo hamen milta tha (They gave us food served to dogs),” he recounted. Every six months, Ashok was put up before the Federal Review Board, chaired by three judges and Intelligence officials. “I stuck to my smuggling story. Never admitted that I worked for Indian intelligence.” He was released on 21 August, 2002 and handed over to Punjab Police Station. But, his miseries were far from over. “Punjab police refused to believe that I worked for Indian Army,” Ashok went on. The police wanted Ashok to confess that he was a militant, trained in Pakistan. He refused to toe the line. Charged for crossing the border without a valid passport, he was prisoned for nearly one and a half year. “Till date, the case is going on,” Ashok, who is now out on bail said. The Army has completely disowned him. Ashok is now working as a coolie in a vegetable market near Dadwan village; his misery continues...

Like Ashok, there are Pakistanis languishing in Indian jails. They too had been lured and then deserted at the time of crisis.

So much for Indo-Pak bonhomie, talks of confidence building measures and people to people contact. Clinking goblets under those dazzling lights, these gallant rulers are engrossed in larger issues and peace talks. But for those hundreds rotting behind the bars, the war is still going on. TALES OF THE SHADOW MEN

In 2001 Abdul Aziz was arrested by Pakistan police for allegedly spying for India. In 2001, he died in Pakistani jail.

In 2003, 42 Indians, who claimed to have gone to Pakistan for spying managed to return and wanted the government to grant them ex-servicemen status. Nothing much was heard after that.

In the Bhutto Trial and Execution (published 1980) author Victoria Schofield talks about Bhutto’s experience in Lakh-pat Jail. ‘‘(Bhutto’s) cell separated from a barrack area by a 10 foot high wall did not prevent him from hearing horrific shrieks and screams at night from the other side of the wall. One of Bhutto’s lawyers made enquiries amongst the jail staff and ascertained that they were in fact Indian Prisoners of War who had been rendered delinquent and mental during the course of the 1971 War.”

Mohanlal Bhaskar, who wrote An Indian Spy in Pakistan, lodged in Mianwali Jail in Pakistan, witnessed Sheikh Mujibur Rehaman’s grave dug up and then refilled. Later, Bhutto was forced to release Mujibur, who re turned to rule Bangladesh. Bhaskar, was despatched to find out about Pakistan’s nuke plans.

Sarabjit Singh, acused of being an Indian spy has been sentenced to death by Pakistani court.

Pakistan has over 400 Indians in its jails, being accused of spying for India. FAMOUS SPIES IN HISTORY



The Cambridge Spies

Guy Francis de Moncy Burgess, Anthony F. Blunt, Donald Maclean and Kim Philby were recruited to work for the Soviet KGB. They were active for the Soviet Union for 30 years. All four held high positions, at one time or another, within the British government, including British spy agencies. All were eventually exposed but none was ever caught. Burgess and Maclean defected to Russia in 1951, Philby in 1963. Blunt confessed a year later, after being granted immunity, but never gave a clear account of his activities.

Mata Hari

Dutch nude dancer. She was accused of being a double agent for both French and German armies during World War I. She was executed by the French in 1971.

Nathan Hale

American patriot, captured and hanged by the British in 1776. Before his death, he said, “I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.”

Alexander Litvinenko

Russian ex-spy allegedly killed by poisoning. Fingers were pointed towards the Russian Premier, Vladimir Putin. Russia has denied its involvement. Vinod Khanna, BJP MP from Gurdaspur constiuency talks to TSI :

Q) A large number of people from Dadwan village, which falls under your constituency, are languishing in Pakistani jails for years. They were recruited by the Army and Indian Intelligence for spying.

It’s my constituency. I am really concerned. I am doing whatever possible for the people.

Q) But what is the government doing for them ?

When I was Minister of State for External Affairs, I had taken up the issue with Pakistan. It’s not that we did not try to do anything. But then, there had been not much positive response from the other side. You know, how it is.

Q) What about compensations for those have who returned. Any move to rehabilitate them ?

It is a problem. But in my constituency, I am doing whatever I can.