Thursday 2 June 2022

Kandahar 1999: Revenge Served Cold

New Delhi, 2021

Hunched over a desk in a third-floor office of the CGO Complex in New Delhi sits a bespectacled man, scanning the official-looking documents scattered before him. He signs page after page with a withered, unsteady hand, absent-mindedly twirling his moustache with the other. A groan of decaying wood, and someone else enters the room, yet he does not so much as glance towards the door.

“Mr Doval?” The newly-appointed secretary’s voice is low, hesitant. He barely grunts in response, eyes now roving over the minutes of a meeting he’d missed last month. “A Ms. Kaur is here to see you.”

“Tell her to come back next week.” He waves a wrinkled hand in dismissal, but his secretary stands her ground.

“She says it’s urgent, sir. She says there’s been a breakthrough in Case 418.”

At this, the distracted man finally looks up, a thousand emotions flitting across the creases of his face: shock, then disbelief, followed by a disbelieving hope, and ending with guarded curiosity. “Case 418?” He croaks. “You’re absolutely sure she said 418?”

“Yes, sir.”

He rises with a speed that belies his age and crosses the room in two swift strides. “Where can I find her?”

His assistant leads him downstairs, through a dimly lit corridor, past locked doors and narrow aisles and into a spacious hall where a woman waits alone, impatience written across her visage. As soon as she catches sight of him, she announces breathlessly, “We’ve just received a new lead on Case 418. A man: we think he’s one of the terrorists from the IC 814 hijacking. Would you like to work the case with us?”

And as National Security Advisor Ajit Doval answers in the affirmative, congratulates her profusely and pleads with her to brief him immediately, he recalls the very first time he heard of the hijacking of Flight IC 814.

*

New Delhi, 1999

They called him the “Indian James Bond” for his crafty spy work during Operation Blue Star, his daring counter-insurgency enterprise in Kashmir, his successful resolution of multiple Indian Airlines hijackings. The first police officer to be awarded the prestigious Kirti Chakra, he was bitterly envied by his peers and lavished with praise by his superiors. Only 54 years old and already the central service’s most valuable member, Ajit Doval was riding high.

That was before the hijacking.

When information that Flight IC 814 from Kathmandu was straying suspiciously from its route to Delhi first reached the Bureau, Doval was content not to be involved. It was probably just a minor mistake on the pilot’s end. Besides, on the off chance that it was a hijacking, the Crisis Management Group could handle it just fine. All they had to do was ensure that the plane stayed in Amritsar, where the quick-witted Captain Devi Sharan had landed under the guise of refuelling. But a miscommunication here, a mishap there, and suddenly, the plane had left Amritsar, left India altogether, and was off to Lahore, Pakistan.

What followed was a deluge of panic that Doval would never forget. The Intelligence Bureau, the Research and Analysis Wing, the nation itself descended into chaos. Doval began to understand the saying “no news is good news”: the more they heard of the hijacking, the more disastrous it seemed. 176 passengers and 15 crew members, held hostage in the aircraft. The terrorists’ refusal to let a single one disembark, not even when the pilot begged them to spare at least the women and children. 3 of them, or maybe 5, or perhaps even 10, with black masks and scruffy beards, threatening innocent Indians at gunpoint as they flew them all the way to Dubai.

India finally drew breath upon the release of 27 passengers at the Al Minhad Air Base, but even this momentary relief was overshadowed by far graver information: a hostage had been killed. 25-year-old Rupin Katyal, newlywed and returning from a honeymoon with his wife, stabbed brutally to death for no reason other than being in the worst possible place, at the worst possible time. How many more would die such disgraceful deaths before the government stepped in? The pressure from the hostages’ families, the media and the general public of India reached a resounding high. The time had passed for quiet data collection, for the formulation of cautious plans that would never come to fruition. The Indian government, backed into a corner by a hijacking on one end and its own population on the other, decided that negotiation was the best course of action. And they knew just the man for the job.

*

Jaisalmer, 2021

In the deserts of Jaisalmer, a long way from its golden fortified city, stands a ramshackle rest stop. Whitewashed, yet greying with dust and grime, its second floor perches precariously on the roof of the first. Its windows are nothing more than holes curtained by tarp, the wood of its door rotten and crumbling. A traveler would have to be in the pits of despair to seek shelter here.

And so the sight of India’s National Security Advisor and his equally debonair colleague entering the tumbledown structure would be a marvel - if there were anyone to see it. Thankfully, that has been taken care of by a security scan an hour prior to their arrival.

The ground floor of the building reflects its dilapidated exterior: the walls are stained a murky green, the blackened floor home to a host of creepy-crawlies and the little remaining furniture covered in a thick layer of dirt. But up the rickety staircase, the upper storey looks like it belongs to a whole other structure, a state-of-the-art campus of a multi-million-dollar corporation. These walls are whiter than a crocodile’s teeth, the seats plush, and the desks pristine. Wide screens line every wall, some displaying numbers and graphs, others live footage from the furthest corners of the country. And in the centre of the room, a group of the Indian intelligence’s best thinkers are crowded around a single computer.

As soon as Doval enters the room, their heads turn towards him like moths to a flame. After a long drawn-out pause, a young man steps forward from among them, curly-haired and shifty-eyed, chewing nervously on his lower lip. “Mr Doval, sir, we are employees of the Research and Analysis Wing. For the past 22 years, we have spent every waking moment tracking-”

“But you’ve only made real progress in the past month,” Mr Doval interrupts gruffly, “am I correct?”

“Well, it might seem that way, but really, sir, it’s the seeds sown over the last two decades that we are now reaping-”

“Alright, alright, spare me the parable.” 22 years of waiting takes its toll on a man’s patience. “How did you find him?”

“Aside from investigating the hijackers, we have been monitoring the Akhtar Colony of Karachi since 2017, when a suspected member of the JeM passed through. Turns out he was just an ordinary civilian, but by then our supervisor couldn’t be bothered to dismantle the surveillance network in the colony. We’ve had a dormant spy there, disguised as a chai vendor, for nearly four years now. We never reestablished contact with him until a few months ago, when our boss decided to move him to a nearby colony where he could prove useful. It was then that he informed us of his suspicion of Zahid Akhund, owner of Karachi’s Crescent Furniture business. He was simply too prosperous, too powerful among the colony’s residents, for a man who owned a loss-making company. And he often hosted suspicious visitors, from a squad of off-duty police officers to a trio of men in black outfits covering everything but their eyes, carrying equally dubious black briefcases. We suspected a money-laundering scheme at first, perhaps a bit of bribery, extortion. But when our spy finally procured a picture of the man… well, we realised we had someone far more valuable on our hands.”

With that, he gestures towards the computer, his crowd of colleagues spreading apart to allow Doval a glance. And upon the screen is a face Doval could recognise in disguise, in the dark, could remember were his every other memory lost. A face that brings back in full force the disappointment, the humiliation, the rage he had felt 22 years prior. A face that has haunted his every nightmare since that fateful day in 1999…

*

Kandahar, 1999

Afghanistan, the land of the Taliban. They arrived in the dead of night, a team of India’s finest: Vivek Katju, silver-tongued diplomat with eyes sharp as an eagle’s, his mind even sharper. Nehchal Sandhu, whose unflappable demeanour made him the prefect person to solve a crisis. And of course, Ajit Doval, apple of the Indian patriot’s eye.

They had left in a blaze of glory, off to rescue their stranded brothers and sisters. But their bravado evaporated like drops of dew beneath the midday sun at the sight that met them in Kandahar. Flight IC 814, surrounded by Taliban gunmen armed with tanks and anti-aircraft weaponry. More than a hundred imperilled Indians within, sitting in pools of their own urine and faeces, some weeping relentlessly while others simply stared blankly ahead. A man with an angry red lash down his arm after he had lifted it to comfort his terror-stricken wife. A child with a dupatta over her mouth, tied by her own mother to muffle her cries. And looming above it all, the five hijackers, led by the dark, brooding, deadly Zahoor Mistry.

The negotiators had three objectives: to protect the Indian civilians, gain intelligence pertinent to their rescue, and buy the government time to carry out a rescue. Their hopes plummeted further upon realising that they were at a disadvantage in all three aspects. The hijackers were in no mind to yield to a group of impotent officers whose powers began and ended with talk and empty threats. They had a regular stream of supplies, from fresh food to even fresher information straight from ISI headquarters. They moved freely in and out of the aircraft, unhampered by any fear of Indian military involvement.

In a desperate attempt to turn the tables, Doval and Katju approached the Taliban for help. Beggars can’t be choosers, Katju had reasoned when Doval protested against accepting aid from militants. They need not have disputed it, because the Taliban authorities were immovable. Not only were they unwilling to act against the hijackers, but they refused to allow India to carry out a military operation on their soil.

Doval could no longer deny it: if they wanted to deliver their countrypeople home in any fit shape, the team would have to meet the terrorists midway. And thus, a real negotiation began.

“The release of all 36 men, the disinterment of Sajjad Afghani’s corpse and a grant of USD 200 million, and your people will walk free.”

From the beginning, Doval could tell that this negotiation would not be a day’s work. But the longer they delayed, the longer helpless citizens of India would be at the mercy of these madmen. Three sleepless nights of discussions, wheedling and persuading the terrorists over the wireless and frantically ideating and planning around a table with his colleagues. Finally, they managed to dramatically reduce the terrorists’ demands to the release of only three terrorists: Maulana Masood Azhar, Mushtaq Ahmed Zargar and Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh.

One incident stood out clearly from that terrifying abyss of a week, a moment that Doval would always recall as vividly as though it had been yesterday, as much as he wished to forget it entirely. It was the eve of December 31st, right after the Indian government and the hijackers had come to a compromise. Their enemies, satisfied with the promise of their comrades’ return, allowed him to enter the plane and speak freely to the hostages.

“You are free,” he informed them, “the Indian government has ensured your recovery. We will take you home safely and reunite you with your families.”

He had expected applause, cries of relief, even a few smiles. But it was as if the sea of faces before him did not comprehend him. They continued to look towards the terrorists behind him, too petrified to display any other emotion.

“Have faith!” He tried again. “You are safe now, upon the honour of our great nation. Bharat Mata Ki Jai!”

It was the first time he heard those words receive no response. As he left the flight, cheeks flushed in mortification but head still resolutely held high, he was obliged to pass by their leader, Zahoor Mistry himself. The smirk Mistry gave him would forever be imprinted upon his mind.

*

Jaisalmer, 2021

“We will catch Mistry, sir,” Ms. Kaur assures him earnestly, “it’s just a matter of cautious planning and fearless execution.”

If only it were that simple.

Doval gathers the best and brightest from every corner of the Research and Analysis Wing, from developers of technology decades ahead of its time to assassins trained from youth in the art of murder. They spend weeks setting up surveillance systems across Akhtar, and months after observing “Zahid Akhund’s” every waking moment, looking for chinks in his armour: daily instances when he is without security and vulnerable to attack.

Their hard work pays off, as hard work is bound to do. They notice early on that when Mistry attends Friday prayer, he goes unaccompanied by a single guard. But is it really religious duty that takes him unfailingly to the mosque every week? Or is it perhaps a far unholier pursuit? They soon realise that Mistry lingers longer in the house of worship than any other patron, hours past the duration of the Ṣalāt al-Jumuʿah. A camera positioned at the building’s backdoor confirms their suspicions: Mistry is preying on the Imam’s twenty-year-old daughter.

“An unsavoury affair,” Doval remarks disdainfully, “but that shouldn’t stop us from using it to our benefit.”

At noon every Friday, Mistry enters the mosque among hordes of other worshippers. Then, without the slightest regard for the sanctity of the ceremony within, he sneaks out through the back with the Imam’s daughter on his motorbike, returning alone three hours later to leave the mosque with the few remaining stragglers.

Doval’s team has no idea where he goes, where he leaves the poor girl, if any of his security detail suspects the relationship, but none of that matters to them. All that matters is that what he considers a mere bad habit is the very mistake that will lead to Mistry’s ultimate downfall.

*

Karachi, 2022

She arrives in the Akhtar Colony in a nondescript auto rickshaw, a nondescript burqa covering her from head to toe as she enters a nondescript apartment building.

But there is nothing nondescript about Kirpana Khanna herself. Born to a brilliant IAS officer and an eminent intelligence leader, she was raised a patriot since birth. Full of courage, ambition and a desire to live up to her parents’ legacies, she began training with RAW shortly after. Now, five years since her first mission, she’s the most lethal assassin the Wing has, a favourite of India’s National Security Advisor.

At noon, she heads downstairs and into a tea stall across the road. She has, as it seems to the only other customers there, a most ordinary conversation with the vendor. When she inquires as to the available beverages, he replies by prattling off a menu. When he asks whether she takes milk with her tea, she responds in the affirmative.

If only those unsuspecting locals could see what happens once they leave. The shop’s entrance is locked, a mask donned, a gun grabbed from beneath the false bottom of a drawer of teabags. The chai seller and his customer exit through a side door, onto one of the few alleyways without a government-commissioned CCTV. They set off towards the town centre on his motorbike, to all appearances a couple on their way to the Jamia Madina Masjid for their weekly prayer. Well, anyone to assume so wouldn’t be wrong about their destination, but the two special agents have already said their prayers. If they mangle this mission now, even god can’t save them.

They have just passed the post office when they spot him turning onto a side street, a young woman half his size seated behind him. “Tail him,” Khanna whispers, and her partner obeys, careful to keep the terrorist in sight while staying just far enough not to attract his attention.

When he drops his companion off at a secluded bungalow, Khanna can practically see the target outlined against his back. But the Imam’s daughter doesn’t go indoors immediately; she waits at the verandah, waving the scoundrel goodbye. They cannot risk making a move against him while she remains. They cannot risk waiting for her to leave and being noticed.

They turn into the closest alley and circle back to find her thankfully gone, Mistry riding towards the mosque once more. But their luck doesn’t last long: it is impossible for him not to spot them on the narrow path he takes back. His eyes narrow and he reaches into his shirt, pulling out a walkie-talkie. But he doesn’t get far.

“Go!” Khanna hollers, and their bike jerks forward into his, throwing Mistry off his balance and the device from his hands. The fall isn’t nearly enough to kill him, though. He scrabbles helplessly for a moment before his hands enclose a shiny black object lying in the dirt. His walkie-talkie, she assumes, before the terrible realisation strikes her. The gun.

She lunges for her partner, ducking and rolling both of them out of its way a fraction of a second before he shoots. But though their lives are temporarily safe, she knows the boom of the gunshot has reached far enough that crowds may swarm the place at any moment. And the fate that would meet them were authorities alerted- well, she would pick death over it any day.

She does pick death over it. Before Mistry can take another shot, she pounces straight toward the end of the gun’s barrel, paralysing him in shock for a single precious moment; and in that moment, her hands tighten around his throat, squeezing relentlessly until he suffocates to his demise. She throws in a gunshot for good measure: she can't risk coming all this way only to accidentally leave him alive.

As Mistry chokes, his fingers scratching at her arms, feet flailing helplessly, she calls to her partner, “Go! Take the motorbike and leave before anyone gets here!”

“But-”

“That’s a direct order. Leave, now!”

Before her partner’s motorbike even turns the corner, Khanna’s work is done. The body of Zahid Akhund, wealthiest man in town, lies lifeless in a patch of grass. His motorbike lies beside it, its dashboard damaged as though it has crashed into the nearby lamppost, which is conveniently dented. When the hordes of townspeople arrive to gawk and question and speculate, they will conclude that it was a common hit-and-run case, or in all likelihood, that the man had brought about his own death through rash driving. If they discover the bullet wound, they'll imagine his death the product of a common clash between Akhtar's rival gangs. No one will suspect the slightest correlation between the morbid happening and the resident chai wala’s closing shop days later. And no one will notice the little burqa-clad woman making her inconspicuous way back to the city, gun tucked safely in the folds of her robes, to give Ajit Doval what will undoubtedly be the best news he has received since 1999.

*

New Delhi, 2022

Doval smiles as he surveys the RAW, IB and military members in the throes of celebration around him, feeling pride seep through his tired bones. He raises his glass and the room falls silent. “One scumbag down,” he announces. “Four more to go.”

*

This story is a work of fiction based on real events. It is the author’s attempt to connect the dots between the IC 814 hijacking in December 1999 and the mysterious circumstances of a hijacker’s death in March this year, reported here by the Times of India: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/ic-814-hijacker-mistry-zahoor-ibrahim-shot-dead-in-karachi-report/articleshow/90072246.cms

118 comments:

  1. Gripping story! I would love to read it a second time to relive the excitement with the same intensity!
    Well done, Netra!

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    1. Thank you, Atthai! I am glad you enjoyed it so much.

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  2. Netra your story by based on real life incident is thrilling and can be made into a Hollywood movie

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    1. Really true Sir. Good evening Sir

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    2. Thanks, Sundar Mama! Not all credit is due to me, though, as the original incident lends itself to becoming a thriller. Here's Ajit Doval's fascinating interview about the Kandahar hijacking: https://zeenews.india.com/india/what-ajit-doval-had-said-about-indian-airlines-ic-814-hijacking-masood-azhars-release-2186915.html
      and more on Zahoor Mistry's recent death:
      https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/world-news/ic-814-hijacker-mistry-zahoor-ibrahim-shot-dead-in-karachi-reports/articleshow/90093313.cms

      Thanks again for your kind words!

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  3. Take a bow, young lady! Gripping from the word go! I felt like I was reading an espionage thriller by one of the greats. Your grip on the language while binding us to edge of the seat nervousness is a mark of the bestselling author in the making!! Dil maange more!!!

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    1. Thank you so much, Manisha Aunty! That was exactly the effect I was hoping for with this story, and I'm delighted to hear it worked!

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  4. Too intense for words! Could practically feel the chills down my spine. Gripping. Well done

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    1. Thank you so much, I'm glad you enjoyed it!

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  5. Brilliant edge of the seat thriller - fast paced, exciting, equal parts well researched details and brilliant imagination - absolutely amazing work Netra! Your brilliant use of imagery, superb command over the language and ability to hold the reader's attention throughout, make this a fascinating read. Congratulations on what's clearly your best work so far and a harbinger of many great things to come!

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    1. Thank you so much for this lovely comment, Shobana Aunty. It's great to hear that you think this is my best work so far! Thank you again for being so encouraging. :D

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  6. Excellently written! Top class control on the narrative pace, giving enough detail and context yet not losing sight of the plot. Really hope to see you go places. Looking forward to more.. and hopefully, a full book soon! Best wishes.

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    1. Thanks so much for reading and leaving your kind feedback!

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  7. Superbly written. We often associate only Israel/the Mossad with these sort of operations - but forget that India too does carry them out. I found this article which talked about the death of this hijacker in Karachi.
    https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/world-news/ic-814-hijacker-mistry-zahoor-ibrahim-shot-dead-in-karachi-reports/articleshow/90093313.cms
    Well done!

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    1. Thank you for commenting! Yup, there is an article with similar information linked at the end of my blog as well.

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  8. Absolutely gripping! Great to see this “scumbag” dead!
    Did not know this a true incident until I googled it
    https://www.thequint.com/amp/story/news/india/ic-814-hijacker-mistry-zahoor-ibrahim-shot-dead-in-karachi-pakistan

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    1. Thanks! Yes, the foundation of this story is true incidents, from Ajit Doval's work during the Kandahar hijacking to the murder of Zahoor Mistry this year. I'm just filling in the gaps!

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  9. Extremely gripping and bringing life to the events by correlating them…awesome Netra 👏👏

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  10. Very well written. Lot of imagination and creativity. Gripping and intense. Looked real till I read the last paragraph. Well done.

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    1. Thank you so much! The events of this story are actually real, though, I'm just embellishing it and filling in the gaps!

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  11. Pure thriller. Reminded me of Raazi movie.

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    1. I remember really enjoying that movie, so thanks for the great compliment!

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  12. Well scripted …..convert this into a web series or movie well done 👏 Congratulations

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  13. Nice story. It can be "family man 4".

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  14. Neeraj Kishore2 June 2022 at 08:44

    Good piece. Flow of writing is worth appreciation. It’s a great challenge to write on the topic, which has been followed and researched by many experts. One small correction- Our NSA was involved in Operation Black Thunder and not Blue Star. My blessings for many more great work. All the best dear.

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    1. Thank you for pointing that out! I actually got my information from this (https://www.business-standard.com/about/who-is-ajit-doval) Business Standard profile on Ajit Doval, which mentions his "gathering intelligence for ‘Operation Blue Star’ to choke Khalistani militancy." Is it possible he was involved in both? Thank you so much for the encouraging words, as well.

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  15. Gripping👍

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  16. Fabulous 👍

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  17. What skill full narration ! Gripping from start till end , it was like watching an episode . Keep it up

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  18. Excellent and thrilling. Keep going miles.

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  19. Very nicely scripted. It's pure thriller and one can't leave without completing it.
    Pure class...keep it up..

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  20. Amazingly written. Please keep at it, your talent is evident.

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  21. Netra you have done a fab job penning this and immaculate narration of events time travel and wanting to read and know more about these characters especially Mr.Doval (who is a great role model himself)
    Great work keep writing and sharing
    Let me end by saying BHARAT MATA KI JAI 🇮🇳

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    1. Thank you so much, your feedback is so encouraging! :)

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  22. Wow netra too good this should be made into a movie

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  23. Amazing skill of story telling Netra!
    For some one so young it is smashing to see your depth of knowledge and talent in weaving it seamless into a gripping read .
    Super proud of you sweetheart!

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    1. Thank you so much, it's great to hear you enjoyed it!

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  24. Great Netra unbelievable. It can be taken as a short movie.
    Cheenu thatha

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  25. This is absolutely brilliant narration of incidents, I literally could the the characters come alive like as in a movie, relay in front of my eyes, very well written Netra keep at it, commendable research and imagination capabilities you have. You go girl! 🙌👏

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    1. Thank you so much Aunty, It's so gratifying to hear I managed to do that with my writing!

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  26. Phenomenal work Netra! Had goosebumps reading this! Keep writing!

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  27. That will make a great action packed Short movie !

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  28. I am certain most of us have read,heard and watch first half(rescue is passéngers had happen by RAW) but the way you have connected dots..makes me believe as this can be true..won’t be surprise if you receive call soon..this is kind of subject m passionate to hear and read..Thanks for picking this up..

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    1. Haha, thank you so much! I'm so glad my writing was believable, that was my aim as this story is based on real events, after all.

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  29. Who knows some writer is already thinking of picking this up..get it’s copyright pakka Akshay Kumar will be eager to sign up for Part 2.

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    1. Thank you so much, but I think we can get a better actor than Akshay Kumar. Might I suggest Priyanka Chopra for Kirpana Khanna? ;)

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  30. The next Munich in the making gripping

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  31. What a thriller story.. gripping. Very well written.

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  32. Great work once again, Netra. Truly worthy of a movie based on your writing. May god bless you always for your beautiful talent.

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  33. Great writing .. your ambience and atmosphere creation are very good! Thoroughly enjoyed the borderline truth v fiction you wrote . Great storyteller in you!

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  34. Outstanding one Netra! Should get a Netflix series made on this!

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  35. Superb writing Netra, your writing is super descriptive that we are able to visualise the scenes play out. I am sure you will come out soon with a full fledged novel.All the best.

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    1. Thanks, I'm glad to hear I managed that! I don't know how soon I can write a whole novel, but I appreciate the compliment. :)

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  36. Great work Netra - this should make a very good movie !!!

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    1. Thank you so much for the encouraging feedback!

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  37. Beautiful, v v well written. Netra, you have a gift. Words and sentences are vivid, I could imagine every scene in my mind clearly.

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  38. Gripping narration. It gives a feel of real time. Similar to screenplay of a movie. Very nice work . Amazing research. Well done Netra.

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    1. Thank you for your kind comment, Captain Venkat!

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  39. Ravi Nagarajan3 June 2022 at 07:57

    Awesome Netra . Just loved your style of writing . Keep more of these coming 👍🏻

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  40. Gripping, fast paced Netra, worthy of being carried in the New York Times / International Tribune / Netflix. Love your style of writing

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  41. I love it! had me hooked

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  42. Thrilling narration ! Enjoyed every bit of it.

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  43. Very thrilling story. Great narration. Gripping and awesome depiction of what could have been true events of heroism by Indian R&AW no one will ever know about

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    1. Thank you so much, I wonder if we'll ever have confirmation that RAW was involved here!

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  44. Could not take my eyes of the screen! Gripping narration. Well done.

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  45. Aakash Moondhra6 June 2022 at 06:24

    The full sequence of events felt extremely real, having known what happened in 1999, fully relatable, great depiction, narration, and worded appropriately, Nicely researched and well narrated Netra, proud of you

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    1. Thank you so much, I am glad you thought so!

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  46. Dear Netra, Well written. You must give me a signed copy of the first novel you publish!. All the best from Rajesh.

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    1. Haha, thank you so much for the compliments!

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  47. Very gripping and very well written Netra!! Keep writing 👍

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  48. Loved the writing! Budding author right here….hojo

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  49. Hi Nethra, This is awesome good. Here's wishing you keep the ink flowing

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  50. Very nicely written Nethra. Great job at creating and ambience and keeping the story moving. Do more.

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  51. Very nicely written, Netra! Creating a narrative across events and characters is hard but you made it look so easy! Looking forward to reading more of your content.

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    1. Thank you so much, I look forward to your feedback on my future pieces, too! :)

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  52. Saru Omprakash6 June 2022 at 23:56

    Netra, Interesting read and mesmerizing narration

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  53. Hello Netra. This is a very well written blog/article. In an age where the young generation idolizes Bollywood celebrities and their daily lives, this is indeed a refreshing blog. I believe Indians vastly underestimate their own intelligence agencies and special forces. But I suppose the agencies also like to keep such operations low profile for obvious reasons. This reminds me of the movies "D-Day" and "Madras Cafe". I have read a handful of books on "Operation Neptune Spear", the tracking, planning and killing of Osama Bin Laden. They waited more than 10 years to track and kill Bin Laden. This story of revenge showcases even more patience, and no fanfare. Indeed best served cold!
    Its encouraging to see you reading and writing such articles and in such a lucid , thrilling and enchanting style. One can already see a budding writer being blossomed. Ever think of writing a novella by expanding on this blog/article?
    This is great and please do keep it up.

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    Replies
    1. Wow, thank you so much for taking the time to share your kind feedback!

      My dad actually mentioned that very operation to me while I was writing this, and while obviously my plot was very different, I did look to it for inspiration!

      I honestly don't know much about writing a full-fledged novella, but maybe I'll give it a shot in the future. Thanks so much again for the kind words!

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  54. I was on the edge from the word go. This just superb Netra. You have created Best Seller material out here my girl!!

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  55. Very well thought out, bold topic and educational. Reads like a novel, filled with facts and an engaging story narrative. Really good writing here.

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  56. Netra: agree with all the compliments. Gripping for sure. You are gifted Netra. Will look forward to buying your novel at a book store (or Amazon) hopefully very soon. Yet another brilliant addition to your repertoire.

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  57. Brilliant penning. Command over language and narration is amazing.

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  58. Malini Srikanth14 June 2022 at 22:16

    Very gripping and excellent narration. Very well researched and great depiction Netra.
    Well done .

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  59. Very well written

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  60. Fantastic construction, sequencing and story!. I got so excited I got back to reading thrillers again!

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  61. Very well written! Gripping and lucid providing a vivid picture in reader’s mind! Best of luck for more of these!

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  62. Very well written Netra! It was such a gripping narrative. I loved reading it and it will stay with e for a long time.

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