05 August,2010 10:09 AM IST | | Salil Urunkar
Released state officer Bardekar recounts his friendly relations with Bodo militants
The Bardekars are a relieved lot.u00a0 State forest official Vilas Bardekar, who was kidnapped by Bodo militants on May 13, returned home to his residence in Queens Garden last morning after an ordeal that lasted 83 days.
Bardekar was taking pictures of butterfly species in the forest of Daimara village, West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh, when he was abducted by the Bodos.
Recounting his experience, Bardekar said, "Being in captivity for almost three months, I developed a friendly relationship with the militants. When I was released they had tears in their eyes."
"I would listen to songs composed by the Bodo militants everyday. I even started to like some of them. I had drawn some pictures of them which they liked and kept with them," he said.
Though Bardekar has taken the ordeal in its stride, his wife Madhavi is apprehensive.
"I will never allow him to go and click photographs alone," Madhavi said. "When my three brothers went to receive him, it was like Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh going to rescue my husband. I had complete faith in God and was confident he would help us tide over the adversity."
Mrunalini, daughter of Bardekar said, "I started dancing when I saw the news of my father being released."
From diary to book
Bardekar has penned down his experiences in a diary that he wrote daily while in captivity and now plans to write a book on it.
An IFS officer from the 1984 batch, Bardekar currently holds the post of joint director of forest, directorate of social forestry in Pune.
It was through the efforts of central government and the state governments of Maharashtra, Arunachal Pradesh and Assam that Bardekar was finally released.
