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Khukhri":
Posted on 01/26/2011 7:34:20 PM PST by archy
Lone Nepali Gorkha who subdued 40 train robbers
MANOJ ADHIKARI/SANTOSH POKHAREL
POKHARA, Jan 13: Gorkha soldiers have long been known the world over for their valor and these khukuri-wielding warriors winning the British many a battle have become folklore.
A retired Indian Gorkha soldier recently revisited those glory days when he thwarted 40 robbers, killing three of them and injuring eight others, with his khukuri during a train journey. He is in line to receive three gallantry awards from the Indian government.
Slave girl Morgiana in the Arabian Nights used her cunning to finish off Ali Baba´s 40 thieves, but Bishnu Shrestha of Baidam, Pokhara-6 did not have time to plot against the 40 train robbers. He, however, made good use of his khukuri to save the chastity of a girl and hundreds of thousands in loot.
Shrestha, who was in the Maurya Express to Gorakhpur from Ranchi on September 2 while returning home following voluntary retirement from the Indian army--saved the girl who was going to be raped by the robbers in front of her hapless parents, and in doing so won plaudits from everybody.
The Indian government is to decorate Shrestha with its Sourya Chakra, Bravery Award and Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Medal and the 35-year-old is leaving for India Saturday to receive the first of the awards on the occasion of India´s Republic Day on January 26.
“The formal announcement of the awards will be made on Republic Day and on Independence Day on August 15,” said Shrestha, whose father Gopal Babu also retired from the same 7/8 Platoon of the Gorkha Regiment around 29 years ago.
His regiment has already given him a cash award of Indian rupees 50,000, and decided to terminate his voluntary retirement. He will get the customary promotion after receiving the medals. The Indian government will also announce a cash bounty for him and special discounts on international air tickets and domestic train tickets.
The band of about 40 robbers, some of whom were travelling as passengers, stopped the train in the Chittaranjan jungles in West Bengal around midnight. Shrestha-- who had boarded the train at Ranchi in Jharkhand, the place of his posting--was in seat no. 47 in coach AC3.
“They started snatching jewelry, cell phones, cash, laptops and other belongings from the passengers,” Shrestha recalled. The soldier had somehow remained a silent spectator amidst the melee, but not for long. He had had enough when the robbers stripped an 18-year-old girl sitting next to him and tried to rape her right in front of her parents. He then took out his khukuri and took on the robbers.
“The girl cried for help, saying ´You are a soldier, please save a sister´,” Shrestha recalled. “I prevented her from being raped, thinking of her as my own sister,” he added. He took one of the robbers under control and then started to attack the others. He said the rest of the robbers fled after he killed three of them with his khukuri and injured eight others.
During the scuffle he received serious blade injury to his left hand while the girl also had a minor cut on her neck. “They had carried out their robbery with swords, blades and pistols. The pistols may have been fake as they didn´t open fire,” he surmised.
The train resumed its journey after some 20 minutes and a horde of media persons and police were present when it reached Chittaranja station. Police arrested the eight injured dacoits and recovered around 400,000 Indian rupees in cash, 40 gold necklaces, 200 cell phones, 40 laptops and other items that the fleeing robbers dropped in the train.
Police escorted Shrestha to the Railways Hospital after the rescued girl told them about his heroic deed. Mainstream Indian media carried the story. The parents of the girl, who was going for her MBBS studies, also announced a cash award of Indian rupees 300,000 for him but he has not met them since.
“Even the veins and arteries in my left hand were slit but the injury has now healed after two months of neurological treatment at the Command Hospital in Kolkata,” he said showing the scar. “Fighting the enemy in battle is my duty as a soldier; taking on the dacoits in the train was my duty as a human being,” said the Indian army nayak, who has been given two guards during his month-long holidays in Nepal.
“I am proud to be able to prove that a Gorkha soldier with a khukuri is really a handful. I would have been a meek spectator had I not carried that khukuri,” he said.
He still finds it hard to believe that he took on 40 armed robbers alone. “They may have feared that more of my army friends were traveling with me and fled after fighting me for around 20 minutes,” he explained.
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Khukhri":
Yes, can you imagine fighting for 20 minutes? Wow!
Because they ran when someone stood up to them?
“I find that one a little hard to believe.”
I’m not. Not even a little. A skilled bladesman in close quarters is a nightmare for opponents. Even better than a 12 guage. I know a few who could take out several people in a couple seconds. Trained with them, in fact, although I never got close to their level.
These guys? They grow up learning bladed combat. And they’re TOUGH. (Had a Vietnam Vet buddy serve with a few. He was HARD, and they impressed him.)
I think that you are mistaken. To my knowledge— reading the response of a British officer serving with the Gurkhas in the Falklands War—the Gurkhas didn’t get to kill anyone. The Argentine conscripts fled in panic at the very rumor of their approach.
I was just referring to the story about the Germans head falling off after he told the Gurkah “you missed”. The main story, I believe.
Ah heck, in my comment above about my Vietnam Vet buddy (now deceased), I can’t remember now if he was talking about Ghorkas or Montagnards. Sigh.
Anyone know which served in Vietnam? Both?
My bad. I’m with you on the story about the German - clear hyperbole...
I was walking down the mountain in Eastern Nepal by myself in 1983, when a few tough looking guys asked, “Where are your friends?” in Nepali.
I answered back, “Mero Kukri mero sati ho!” (my kukri is my friend) and patted my large kukri knife strapped to the side of my pack. That I knew the language, and carried a large weapon made them literally take a step back and let me pass.
I have one of those knives, given to me by my Dad. It’s very old, but still solid and serviceable. I believe he got it in China or Hong Kong when he was in the Navy right after WWII.
Gurkha soldier removed from duty for beheading dead Taliban commander during battle
As a Gurkha is disciplined for beheading a Taliban: Thank God they are on our side!
“Their conduct is, perhaps, best summed up by Rifleman Lachhiman Gurung, who found himself under repeated Japanese attack in Burma in 1945. With his comrades badly injured, he fought off 200 enemy troops single-handed - literally - having lost an arm and eye.”
“When a relief force found him the next morning, his position was littered with 31 Japanese corpses. The 169 survivors had run away.”
I have the original (wooden!) sheath for mine, too.
Apparently there is a more appropriate way. Nevertheless, as far as field identification goes, it sure beats a fingerprint kit.
Card carring “BAD ASS”.
Cool. Now we can all get some sleep. G'nite! ;o)
I stand corrected. I forget where I read that, but I suppose it’s just one of those stories that sounds so good it gets repeated anyway.
Guess I should’ve read the article more carefully, archy. Thanks. I just assumed that all the Ghurkas were stll in service to the British army. Anyway, hats off to the guy.
The Montagnards were indigenous to the mountain regions of Vietnam/Indochina and fought alongside the US in Vietnam. The UK, and by extension the Ghurkas did not send soldiers to Vietnam; however, it is possible (if not likely) that former Ghurkas joined the FFL after WWII and fought there during the French occupation.
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