I C Srivastava was born in 1943. A student of English Literature, he joined the Indian Administrative Service in 1966. During his 37 years tenure, he was Collector/ District Magistrate of three districts, served as the Chairman, Board of Revenue, Rajasthan, and retired as Chairman, Rajasthan State Mines and Minerals Corporation. He has authored several books in Hindi and English. Nowadays, he is associated with various social and cultural activities in Jaipur.
On 16 December 1971, a ceasefire was declared in the war between India and Pakistan. The day marked the end of hostilities and the end of the war.
The Indian Army had captured and occupied nearly 8,000 square kilometers of Pakistan territory in Chhachro and Nagar Parkar Tehsils of Tharparker District. Barkatullah Khan, Rajasthan's Chief Minister at that time, announced his intention to hoist the Indian tricolor flag at Chhachro Tehsil Head Quarters. And he did so, in a ceremony, a few days later. Our story takes place in the days in-between.
I was the Collector and District Magistrate of Barmer district, which has a border with Pakistan's Sind province. India's Major Gen. R.D.R. Anand, the GOC (General Officer Commanding) of the Army in the area, had advanced, with his troops, to the occupied territory in his 'Caravan' vehicle. Around 2 PM on 19 December 1917, he called me from somewhere near Naya Chhor in Pakistan's Mirpur Khas district. The Army had laid new telecom lines over the sand dunes. They were now active.
