Chavan had inadvertently crossed the Line of Control and was captured by the Pakistani Army hours after the Indian Army’s surgical strike on September 29 last year and was since then in their captivity. Chavan had inadvertently crossed the Line of Control and was captured by the Pakistani Army hours after the Indian Army’s surgical strike on September 29 last year and was since then in their captivity.

“DEATH WAS an easier alternative but I was a price catch and killing me was not on their list. So they tortured me day in, day out. Their abuses numbed me. I begged for death. I told them to kill me. I had made peace with myself that I was going to die far away from my home, my country, in an isolated dungeon of Pakistani Army,” Chandu Chavan, a soldier with 37 Rashtriya Rifles who was released by the Pakistani Army as a goodwill gesture in January recounted to the media on Friday.

Chavan had inadvertently crossed the Line of Control and was captured by the Pakistani Army hours after the Indian Army’s surgical strike on September 29 last year and was since then in their captivity.

Chavan, granted a 30-day leave by the Army, returned to his native place at Borvihir village in Dhule district of Maharashtra on March 11. He arrived at his village around noon along with Union Minister of State (MoS) for Defence, Dr Subhash Bhamre and was greeted with much fanfare by the villagers.

On his return, Chavan headed straight to Nashik to perform religious rites of his grandmother who died of a cardiac attack after learning about Chavan’s capture by the Pakistani Army. “My grandmother passed away hearing the news of my capture. Last week we went to Nashik to perform the rites. I pray that her soul rest in peace,” added Chavan.

Chavan told the media on Friday that after he strayed across the LoC, he was captured by two men and one of them had put a rifle on his temple and was about to shoot him when the other army personnel asked him to hold his fire.

“It was a new moon day and I inadvertently crossed the LoC. Two Pakistani Army men intercepted and stopped me. While one was about to shoot me, the other personnel asked him not to fire. They took away my belongings and asked me to wear a pathani. They then covered by face with a hood and asked me to walk as per their direction. After a couple of minutes I was put in a vehicle and taken to an unknown place. There I was lodged in solitary confinement without any source of light. There was no toilet or bathroom. I was not given food. I was beaten continuously,” recalled Chavan.

Chavan says the interrogators wanted him to tell them details on the working of the Indian Army. “They wanted me to spill details of the working of the Indian Army and specifically of 37 Rashtriya Rifles. I was tortured and even administered drugs. They even filmed me but since I was heavily drugged I don’t recall what they asked me while filming me,” said a family member.

Chavan said he never expected to be freed. “I thought I will die there. I was heavily drugged and don’t even recall my release and even my journey to Wagha border. I had given up hope,” Chavan narrates. “I will always be indebted to my country for giving me a second life. Now my only goal in life is to serve her till my last breath,” he said.

His brother Bhushan, who is with the Maratha Light Infantry is a relieved man but the reunion comes with its share of pain. “Our grandmother raised us and when she learnt about Chandu’s capture died of a cardiac attack… It is an irreparable loss,” said Bhushan.

“When Chandu was captured, Bhamre had promised me that he will get Chandu back. He kept his promise. My family is indebted to him for taking up the issue with MEA and also with Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” said Bhushan.

Chandu has recorded his statement before the inquiry committee constituted by the Army to probe the circumstances in which Chavan landed up across the border. Chavan has told the panel that he crossed the LoC inadvertently.

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