- Brig Deep Bhagat shared a video reflecting on his return to Shopian, Kashmir without weapons or protection
- He served 30 years in the Indian Army, including as a commando school instructor
- Bhagat contrasted his past combat experience with his recent peaceful visit as a tourist
A former Indian Army officer has gone viral on social media after sharing a video about his experience in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district, where he once operated. In an Instagram video, Brig Deep Bhagat (Retd.), who served Indian Army for three decades in various capacities, including as an instructor at a commando school, highlighted that he could not have imagined returning to the area without weapons.
"I am entering Shopian, and I could never have imagined that I would return here in my lifetime without any weapons and protection. Never. Never," said Bhagat, adding: "Those people who have fought militancy here in the 90s and 2000s, they could have never imagined that we could return here."
Bhagat said it was a strange feeling being back in Shopian, where violence was a common occurrence when cross-border terrorism was at its peak. However, he added that the current situation made him happy.
"Two decades ago, I was operating in Kashmir as a soldier in combat gear and with weapons. Two years ago, I returned on my bike, as a tourist. No weapon. No protection. Just open roads and open hearts," Bhagat captioned the accompanying video.
"Shopian, once a name whispered in tension, today welcomed me in peace. This is what change looks like. This is what hope feels like. Kashmir isn't what it was in the 90s and 2000s. And that makes me deeply proud."
Check The Viral Clip Here:
'Can Feel The Sacrifice'
As of the last update, the video had garnered over 4.4 lakh views and hundreds of comments as social media users agreed with Bhagat's assessment and thanked him for his service.
"We, along with two other couple friends, went on a bike ride in February 2024 to some offbeat places in Kashmir like Shopian, Aharbal, and Yousmarg. Trust me, it's safe and incredibly beautiful, Shopian, the apple city of India," said one user, while another added: "Thank you for your services for the nation..we are really thankful for our Armed forces..Jai Hind sir."
A third commented: "I can feel the sacrifice he made for this Sophia, which is infront of his eyes. He must be remembering the brothers he lost and must be wishing that they could also see this."
A fourth said: "Always indebted to the Indian Army, especially the RR & SF units for such combing ops to restore peace in part of the country!"
