Lt. Col. Rajan – S. Pottu
Lt. Col. Rajan – S. Pottu
Charles Anthony was the special commander of the Special Forces and the in-charge of the Officers’ Training College. That day dawned as a sad day for Tamileelam. Rajan left us that morning. On the evening of the first day, Gopi and his comrades told Rajan, who had come to see the fighters standing at the supply line, about a plan to attack an enemy battalion.
Rajan, who was furious at the enemy’s new land invasion, immediately gave his approval, and the arrangements for the attack, which had been planned in detail, were completed overnight. Since the plan was expected to be very small and easy, no one except those involved in it knew anything about the plan. Rajan was waiting eagerly for the “Walkie” message about the success of the plan. As soon as he heard the sound of the claymore, his cries of “Gopi… Gopi…” became incoherent. When he saw Gopi with his head injury, he turned into his usual battlefield king.
What happened? Did the claymores stand there without attention at night and see the enemy? Or did someone change their voice and talk to them on some “Walkie”? Was it a mistake by the spies? The enemy surrounded Gopi’s team. Rajan, who entered alone, sent everyone back. Rajan, the ninth person, along with eight others, Ganesh and Kingsley, did not come either. The news that Rajan was not there slowly spread and shook Tamileelam.
Tamileelam wept and throbbed for the leader who had a fierce love for him, the friends who had become his friends, the fighters who had formed him, the people who had protected him.
Rajan – Romeo November
The sweet storm that filled the minds of our fighters, a hardened rock. A body that had been repeatedly stitched with semolina, torn, bled, and covered in scars. Not only did his mind not weaken, it had hardened into a rock. A dark time in the early part of 1987. Yarlpanam. The police station building and the telecommunications building stood tall as a support for the fort.
Rajan was one of the freedom fighters moving towards in the darkness. The darkness was so dark that he could only see his weapon. The breath of the person standing behind him was hot. His body was bathed in sweat. Not only thirsty for water, but above that, high, speed and determination that did not hesitate to give his life for our homeland, our land. What business does a stranger have here? Today we will win. A stranger will learn a lesson.
At that time, he was in charge of the Karainagar Naval Guard. He had left his mark deeply in all the previous battles. Kiddu had been watching over him. He had been called by Kiddu for this battle. Rajan was one of the groups that entered under the leadership of Ratha. When the night, which was short for those who entered and long for those who stood outside, dawned. The Sri Lankan government was searching for its soldiers in the “forests of Yarlpanam”. The world was searching for the forests of Yarlpanam. After losing some of his friends and both of his fingers, Rajan was recovering his skills in that battle in the hospital.
The Indian Army period.
Rajan’s days in the Indian Army period were full of heroism. He did not just stand and hold on to the blind path. Heroism, wisdom, supreme worship, and the warmth of our beloved people were the armor that saved him. Continuous siege – continuous sleepless nights.
Amidst any crisis, an unwavering iron mind. He doesn’t talk much. He speaks on the battlefield. With firm self-confidence, with a sense of humor that puts his comrades at ease.
The early days of the Indian war. The enemy’s footprints through our Ponnalai palm grove. A machine gun was fired at one of our less experienced fighters. His tempers rose and went wild. He left for his homeland and took to India, where he had become a regular fighter, and he came to the island in a fishing boat. When he arrived here, he saw Indian heads everywhere.
When Rajan arrived in Yarlpanam at a time when army camps were everywhere, the Indian soldiers faced the problem differently.
If Rajan is nearby, all fighters have confidence. You can break the roundup anyway.
Many of their days would begin like this. Another morning, as the housekeeper who had been sleeping came out onto the street, the Indian army was in front. Rajan saw them before the others. He would tell them the news of the army’s presence, and at that very moment, he would plan and attack. He had the courage to face danger in any situation. Rajan had walked on the brink of death at many stages. Should a stranger roam freely in our land? Should he live peacefully? He would grumble. While the Indian soldiers were questioning the people, Rajan and Thumpan put their pistols in their waists and, one by one, took the guns of the dead soldiers and rode away on their bicycles.
Near the Chulipuram junction camp, Indian soldiers were lying dead in a jeep. After losing our fighter Kasim, Nakulan and Nithi and Thumban were carrying Rajan, who had been shot in the chest with a rifle bullet. The Indian henchmen were camped in the Chunnagam. There were military guards on both sides. A big planned attack. Too many men. The attack was postponed because we couldn’t cross the road on the first day. When we tried the next day, everything was ruined when we faced the night patrol. When we tried to drag Rajan into the darkness and take off the bottle, only the book came.
The next day, when Rajan and Murali went to Vadharavathai, Lolo fainted and he left everyone.
Rajan’s childhood friend Theva, who had been together since school days, had gone to the sea for work. Studied and played ball. Joined the movement. Gone to India in the same boat. Stayed together in the Kumati training camp. Carried a pack to the mountain. Untied the donkey. Got a job. Completed training. Came to the shore. Theva, who had been together until then, had separated. The one who had gone to the sea as a boatman had not come. The people cried that he had not come. Rajan did not cry. The rock became hard.
Rajan and Thumpan had not separated. Rajan means Thumpan. Thumpan means Rajan. They ate together, got beaten up, and broke up, and Rajan’s friendship lasted for life. When he returned from India to Chunnagam with two bullet wounds in his leg, he had heard the news that Thumpan was no more. Rajan would not cry. That rock was hard.
Rajan would “push” Rangan’s bicycle. With his index finger pressed against the wheel, the semolina would spill out, and the bicycle would go anywhere. It would crackle and crack, and a little semolina would be spent with the bicycle.
The fight that went well in Mavittapuram to beat the jeeps that had lined up in a row ended in a heroic battle, with Rangan being injured. In Thirichy, when Rangan cried out and fell silent, Rajan, who stood in Yarlpanam, did not cry. The rock hardened.
When he, along with seven others who had stood with him, had beaten and dispersed the Indian soldiers who had come in large numbers in Mathagal, and had collected a large quantity of weapons, Vetri, who had been with Rajan all day, did not return.
When all the weapons were piled up, Rajan did not cry when he sent his wounded brother and Vetri’s body to Kuppilan and stood guard over the weapons. The rock hardened. India left. Voices of joy were heard everywhere in Tamileelam, and LTTE fighters were everywhere in the streets. All that remained were the remnants of India. Rajan was on intelligence duty.
The battle with Sri Lanka began. Rajan roamed around restlessly. He wandered everywhere. He told the location of every bunker and every mound of earth. The battle at Mayiliti was a great one. Rajan stood up and led the way. Bullets were raining down like rain. In the battle at Mayiliti alone, he was pierced by shrapnel twice. He did not rest – he could not stay away from the fighting that was going on there.
As the siege of the fort tightened, the sleepless nights of our commanders were increasing. No night, no day, no rest, no food, he exhausted himself and gave fertilizer to the siege. He supported the siege as Banu’s close companion. When the second fort entry operation was over and dawn broke, when Banu’s “Walkie” called out “Romeo November”, there was no response.
Rajan was lying in the hospital, speechless and breathless, curled up like a rag doll between Kili and Javan. He had recovered from his injuries and was now in the Charles Anthony Regiment.
This period made Rajan an excellent administrator. He played a major role in forming the regiment as Balraj’s assistant. The rigorous training period was conducted with love and strictness with all the fighters.
The fighters came from all over Tamileelam.
Somehow, Rajan saw the fighters as his own children. He observed them.
The battlefield of Vanni. The enemy’s thousands of troops, who tried to penetrate our Vanni forests, were defeated by the enemy’s large force. The fighting continued even after the pieces of the downed helicopter were collected and sent away.
Our fighters faced the enemy who had come and climbed up to the Poovarasankulam junction from all sides. A fierce fight. Those, who stood facing the sky and those who looked at the ground, and the hands carrying all the weapons stood firm, the enemy fled.
Another attempt by the enemy in a few days’ time. The enemy moved and defeated. This time towards Mannar. This time the fight was a little fiercer. The enemy surrounded our fighters on both sides. A fight that made the king emotional. The comrades stood firm against the enemy’s guns, which were rattling very close. Taking all the weapons, they had, Rupraj beat Amy to death with a series of blows and dragged the unconscious man to his feet.
That day, Rajan returned, an incredible miracle. When he was lying unconscious, the enemy was very close. Very close.
Anayiravu was a huge battlefield.
Even though Amy’s armored vehicle was destroyed in the forest, Romeo November was the RPG.
If two people died and five were injured in the mudslide in the pasture, Romeo November was the medics’ van. If the crows sent to Guna’s group were to be shot, Romeo November was the one who wanted to shoot them. Romeo November is the hero who unites the individual fighters to stop the enemy when the fighters fall, the strategy breaks down, and the enemy advances. He stood for everything. He carried the entire burden himself.
Even though Rajan stood as a skilled warlord, he was kept away from the battlefield. Rajan was the place of our leader’s great dreams. The reason why he was given the task of providing food to the groups engaged in the Yarlpanam battle was none other than to keep him at the forefront of the battlefield.
A skilled warrior. His stories of skill are captivating. A tireless hard worker.
When he passed away, he was in charge of the Officers’ Training College, which was the dream of the leader. He had already acquired excellent military skills. Here he trained fighters gathered from all over the place. He squeezed out his experiences. He learned and taught the techniques of war. He learned and taught everything from fine planning, discipline, love, hard training, strategies, supplies, maps. He learned and taught. Rajan is quiet. He identifies himself only by his actions.
Rajan is not a talkative person, no matter what the job is. When some military plan is being planned, Rajan, who is silent and listens, will speak in the gap before the plan is completed. When the specific plan takes shape, the value of his strategy is known. He will reveal himself in doing his duty perfectly. He was an example of “doing one’s duty, not expecting benefits”.
If his history were written in full, it would be a great epic. His history would be an incredible miracle not only by military experts but also by medical experts. The countless attacks, the knowledge he gained are uncountable. Unbelievable.
Memory Sharing: S. Pottu
In charge of the Intelligence Department of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
Publication: Nerupatru Neechal’s Tenth Book
“The Thirst of the Tigers is the thirst of Tamileelam”
(Translation by Tamilpriya)
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