The Hard Decision

Me with Diana and her master

‘Jai hind sahaab!’ Soldier greeted me as I was sipping the morning coffee at my post amidst picturesque hills, somewhere in Manipur. I could feel the concern in his voice. ‘What’s the matter?’ I asked. ‘Sahaab Diana has not eaten since three days’. Diana was beautiful, healthy,shining and intelligent Labrador trained in explosive devices. Jitendra was his trained master/handler. I asked him to check up with battalion’s Vet nary Doctor and let me know.

He walked away with something in his heart.

Next day, I asked jitendra again and he said that Diana drank only water since morning. I called him and casually kept my hand on his shoulder and asked if everything was fine at his home.

He told me that his wife was in hospital due to deliver their first child within two days and here he was fighting militants in the wild jungles of Manipur. I could sense the feeling of depression in his voice and to add salt to injury,there was no telephone connection in the close vicinity so that he could call up his home.

It was only Diana the dog who could feel the pain of his master which affected her heart and appetite.

I was amazed of such an amazing feeling between human and animal. I called for JCO (junior commissioned officer) and asked why he wasn’t sent on leave on time. ‘He can’t be sent without another dog master as per SOP otherwise the dog will not listen to anyone. His point was valid.There was no one available to relieve him and it would be too late for things to happen. The Soldier walked up to me for help. I asked my Commanding Officer for his views. ‘The Dog is there for a specific purpose and will not move out from there, nor will the master’ was the reply.

For the first time in life I felt very difficult to take decision. I was stuck in the middle of human relation and professional orders. I was helpless commanding my men under the high tension Insurgency Area.

I couldn’t sleep the whole night as it was my daily routine to be awake but I kept on thinking about solution. The next morning I wrote a SOS message in form of official radio msg. “Dog in critical condition, needs cas evacuation”. Chopper was arranged to take dog to vet doctor in Imphal(capital city)

I asked his master to accompany her, show her to vet, hand over to another handler and proceed on leave thereafter. He was very relieved and glad, however he was very much concerned that Diana was not well. Few hours passed and we were waiting for chopper to arrive. “Jai Hind sahaab!” It was voice of Jitendra but this time it was filled with happiness. I asked him what happened now. “I have been blessed with a baby boy!” he said with excitement and Diana also ate little ‘pedigree’ today.

I congratulated him and he gave me one of the warmest hug of my life. He left for the post happily leaving me behind to face the after effects of the whole scene. I had to listen to some bitter taste from my boss and superiors but I was happy that I could save two hearts and lives. Sometimes it is difficult to understand the dichotomy of human relations. Sometimes you need to take decisions from heart. J