Asom youth returns after 8 years in Pakistan jail

Guwahati, Jan 21: A grand welcome, befitting a war hero, awaited Bhupen Sharma in his native village in Asom after the Indo-Pak conflict made a hero out of this simple youth.

Taken captive by the neighbouring country's army from Jammu and Kashmir in 1998, he survived a hostile prison, inadequate diet and continual fear of languishing in the prison forever, with dim hopes of even informing his home of his whereabouts.

Bhupen was among the 150 prisoners released by the Pakistani authorities in December. Most of these prisoners were picked after they had crossed over to the other side of the LoC unknowingly.

Bhupen, now 35 years, had left home in Ciling village in Nalbari district of Asom as a young lad of 15 in 1986 when he went to Kolkata (Then Calcutta) to sustain his widowed mother and siblings.

He later shifted base to Mumbai in 1989 and worked in a bangles making factory there. As things appeared to be comfortable and a rosy future awaited him, Bhupen embarked on a pilgrimage with his friends to Jammu and Kashmir.

But the pilgrimage proved to be more than a test of his religious zeal.

Bhupen and two of his friends were picked up by Pakistani forces from near the Badreswari temple in Jammu.

Bhupen recounted his experience before hundreds of people who gathered in his village to welcome him yesterday.

He said, ''The armed personnel thought we were terrorists and dragged us, hands and legs tied, to a nearby camp. After being kept there for a few days, we were sent to a larger prison.'' The prison already housed about 600 Indian prisoners.

Bhupen recalled his years in the prison with horror. He said, ''We were not given to eat properly and kept under strict guard all the time. We never thought we would be able to breathe free air again.'' ''Many died before our eyes in the prison. We were totally terrorized,'' he added.

Now that his ordeal is over, Bhupen hopes to get back to a normal life again.

He said, ''My sisters have already been married off. My mother has withstood these stormy years alone. Now I want to be a source of strength for her.''

UNI