Back home, ex-Navy officer relives 531 days of uncertainty in Qatar

back home, ex-navy officer relives 531 days of uncertainty in qatar

Sanjeev Gupta with his wife Rekha.

Commander Sanjeev Gupta (retd), one of the eight former Indian Navy personnel sentenced to death in Qatar on undeclared charges but freed from 17-month captivity on February 11 after painstaking negotiations between the two countries at the highest levels, often contemplated what-ifs in his prison cell in Doha in the early days.

What if he never sets foot on Indian soil again? What if he never gets to see his wife or hug his two young daughters? What if he was doomed to die in the detention facility?

“Those 17-plus months were horrendous. The first six months were even worse. At times, I got this feeling that I might die there,” the 56-year-old said in an interview at his 20th floor Noida apartment, three days after all the men were released, and seven of them have already returned home, in a dramatic turn of events.

Last December, Qatar’s Court of Appeal commuted the death sentences awarded to the men — Gupta, Captains Navtej Gill and Saurabh Vasisht, Commanders Purnendu Tiwari, Amit Nagpal, BK Verma and Sugunakar Pakala, and sailor Ragesh — and sentenced them to prison for varying durations ranging from three years to 25 years. Tiwari is expected to return soon.

Gupta’s wife Rekha was visiting her parents in Agra when her phone rang in the early hours of February 12. The voice on the other end of the phone line spoke in a gentle tone.

“Congratulations, Rekha ji. Sanjeev ji is back in India.”

It was India’s ambassador to Qatar, Vipul (he uses one name), breaking the news to the retired officer’s wife.

The brief call ended a 531-day ordeal.

“There was no time for small talk. It was around 3 am and I was on my way to Noida,” Rekha said.

She taught at a Doha school for more than four years before returning to India in May 2022, months before the navy veterans were detained in August of that year. The Guptas moved to Doha in January 2018 after the retired commander was offered a job at Dahra Global that involved training Qatari naval officers.

It was only around 15 hours before the Indian diplomat made that call to Rekha the navy veterans got to know they were about to be released.

“It was around 10am Doha time when the prison guards walked up to my room and ordered me to pack my bags. They said nothing more. That was the first indication of a possible release. The Indian ambassador was waiting for us outside the detention facility. He said, ‘you are all going to India’. We were aware of the talks between the two governments at the highest levels but never thought we would be released so quickly. I felt on top of the world,” said Gupta, who was commissioned into the navy in 1991.

Seventeen months earlier on August 29, 2022, the navy veterans were picked up by the Qatari police from their homes in a midnight swoop.

It was past 11pm and Gupta had just finished watching a few episodes of the popular web series Mirzapur on television when the bell rang. Within minutes, Gupta and the others were whisked away to the detention facility from where they walked out on February 11, 2024.

“It was a bolt from the blue,” he said. “Several policemen came to pick us up. Neither we knew why they were there nor where we were being taken. The way we were escorted to the facility was not pleasant. It was very intimidating. I couldn’t call my wife or anyone. I was able to speak to her only after 35 days.”

Both countries have still not revealed the charges against the men, or the conditions for their release.

The initial months were a complete blackout for the veterans who were clueless about what was going on in the outside world, Gupta said.

“I experienced anxiety and hopelessness during that time. Fear of the unknown was killing us. After six months, we learnt things were moving and hope of some relief started building up. Things improved after we were allowed to meet our families and consular access was granted. We knew the Indian government had swung into action.”

Some of the cells in the facility had an attached bathroom, but not Gupta’s.

“I won’t call it a cell because we have a different perception of a cell. It was not like what they show in Hindi films. The facilities in the detention centre were good.”

In the 531 days Gupta was there, he read 42 books and spent four hours daily meditating and practising yoga.

“Were you counting the books you read there,” Rekha asked Gupta, a clear indication that the couple still have much to talk about.

The Courage to be Disliked by Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga, and Yoga and Stress Management by Acharya Yatendra were among his favourite reads. He used a torn piece of paper as a bookmark.

“I used to read seven hours daily. The books, meditation and yoga took care of 11 hours. This routine started after staying there for around two months. The routine really helped me stay sane in isolation.”

Military training also came in handy.

“Initial military training gives you a lot of physical and mental strength. What we call ragda-patti (rigourous training) in fauji jargon really helped. It helped me survive there for so long,” Gupta said.

The captivity, however, did inflict psychological challenges.

“As a naval officer, whenever I heard someone talk about anxiety, depression or hallucinations, I thought they were weak people. But I experienced all of it there. I would hallucinate that I was escaping from the facility and then somebody would come from behind and put me back in.”

What about the charges? How did he deal with it?

“Look, the charges were never revealed to us. Even today, I don’t know why they locked us up there. There was nothing to link us to espionage. It is the easiest allegation to make against a military officer or a veteran. It’s easy for people to believe that. They won’t believe as easily if a civilian was involved. In our case, it was only hearsay and guesswork.”

Has the meaning of freedom changed and what were the lessons learnt during captivity?

“Absolutely, I interpret freedom differently now. Spending even 30 minutes with your loved ones whenever you want is freedom. Just being able to be with them. As far as learning goes, I realised it is important to prioritise family over work. That was something I never did. I also learnt that patience pays. My biggest realisation was that India is the best country in the world.”

If it were not for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s direct intervention, the government’s deft handling of the matter and India’s diplomatic flourish, the navy veterans would still be in captivity, he said.

When he deplaned at the Indira Gandhi International Airport on February 12, Gupta prostrated himself on the aero bridge with his eyes closed in a gesture of reverence to his homeland.

“I’m a free man because of what my country did for me.”

Read more news like this on HindustanTimes.com

News Related

OTHER NEWS

Guru Nanak Jayanti: Rishi Sunak Highlights Punjabi Heritage In Message, Trudeau Extends Greetings

In a greeting from 10 Downing Street on the occasion of Guru Nanak Jayanti, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak mentioned his Punjabi Indian origin, news agency PTI reported. The 43-year-old ... Read more »

What US easing sanctions on Venezuela, home to world’s largest oil reserves, could mean for India

This report is the second of a three-part series on recent Indian engagement in the Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) region. New Delhi: The US’ decision last month to ease ... Read more »

Rajshri Deshpande dedicates OTT award to innocent lives lost in Gaza, Palestine

Rajshri Deshpande dedicates OTT award to innocent lives lost in Gaza, Palestine Actor and social worker Rajshri Deshpande won the Best Actor, Series (Female) award for Netflix’s ‘Trial By Fire’. ... Read more »

‘Ramchandra Keh Gaye…’: From Jan 1, RSS to Spread Word of God, Ayodhya Inauguration Among 10 Crore People

‘Ramchandra Keh Gaye…’: From Jan 1, RSS to Spread Word of God, Ayodhya Inauguration Among 10 Crore People In its effort to take the Ram Janmabhoomi message to households across ... Read more »

Ace designer Rohit Bal critical, on ventilator: report

Ace designer Rohit Bal critical, on ventilator: report Celebrated fashion designer Rohit Bal is in critical condition and is on ventilator support, HT City reported, quoting sources. He has been ... Read more »

Bengaluru: Traffic Advisory Issued, Parking Restrictions In Place As Samyukta Horata Samiti Holds Protest | Details

Bengaluru: Traffic Advisory Issued, Parking Restrictions In Place As Samyukta Horata Samiti Holds Protest | Details The Bengaluru Traffic Police has issued a traffic advisory for November 27 and 28 ... Read more »

Vistara Flights Diverted Due To Air Congestion At Delhi Airport | DETAILS

vistara flights diverted due to air congestion at delhi airport | details Delhi: Two Vistara flight has been diverted to Lucknow and Jaipur due to bad weather and air congestion ... Read more »
Top List in the World