Ajeet Singh
A person incapacitated by a mine-blast had died in a village near the border Akhnoor town in Jammu district of J&K. People had gathered for his cremation . The pyre was laid. A family member placed his artificial leg also on the pyre as it was no longer of any use.
“It was at this moment that a handicapped person approached a village elder if the artificial leg placed on the pyre could be given to him for his use.” A mourner Satyapal Saraf picked up the artificial limb from the pyre and gave that to the handicapped person.
The incident touched Saraf deeply. There was a large number of people in Akhnoor area who had been rendered handicapped as they unsuspectingly walked over the mines planted during the 1965 and 1971 wars against Pakistan.
A battlefield remains alive long after the battle has ended. Sometimes for many many years. Almost for ever.
The army plants mines of different shapes and potency to thwart the advance of its rival army. Even when an army has to retreat, it doesn’t want to give a clear passage to its advancing rival troops. It plants mines while retreating.
The army tries to deactivate these mines after the war has ended but all the mines do not get neutralised . Those remaining unnoticed, get activated when some unsuspecting farmer or shepherd walks over those resulting in a blast that takes toll of his one or both legs.
In border areas, one can find a large number of people walking with artificial limbs or with the support of wooden staves.“ Back home, Satyapal Saraf shared the incident of the cremation ground with his son Chhatarpal and both agreed to do something to alleviate the sufferings of the victims of the mines in their area.
Chhatarpal himself a polio victim, was preparing for his marriage due in a month’s time. He proposed to cut marriage expenses and set up the Viklang Chhatra Trust with donation of Rs.20000 to help the victims of mines.
The Trust got going as the Army, the Helpage India and the Mahavir Society of Jaipur came to help by providing logistics and the popular Jaipur foot to several thousand people through special camps during the last about 35 years.
Chhatarpal was a newsreader at All India Radio Jammu. He was also a writer of standing in Hindi and Dogri languages.
He retired in the year 2010 but remained active in literary activities. He was also president of the Dogri Sanstha, Jammu for three years. The Sanstha is dedicated to the promotion of the Dogri language and its literature.
Chhatarpal passed away suddenly in July 2019 due to liver cirrhosis. He was 70 and still active with his literary activities.
Rest in peace my friend. You will be remembered long for so many things you did for the people of Jammu region, especially the great relief you provided to the victims of mineblasts in the border areas. It is heartening to note that your 94 years old father Satyapal Saraf still carries on the activities of the Viklang Chhatra Trust you both floated in 1980s.
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