From Kargil To Catching Litterbugs: Soldiers Who Never Stopped Serving | Nagpur News

Nagpur: The camouflage fatigues are gone. The rifles have been replaced by challan books. The enemy is no longer across the border but on the city’s streets — littering, illegal dumping, public spitting, and other civic violations.Yet, for the 132 retired Army personnel who form the backbone of the Nagpur Municipal Corporation’s Nuisance Detection Squad (NDS), the mission remains the same: service to the nation.As the country marks Kargil Vijay Diwas, TOI spoke to three NDS members whose military careers took them to some of India’s most sensitive frontiers. Two fought in the 1999 Kargil War, while their commander guarded the western border against the possibility of Pakistan opening a second front during the conflict.

Every day, the NDS spreads across Nagpur enforcing civic rules and penalising offenders for littering, illegal dumping of debris, open garbage burning, and public spitting. Their disciplined approach often catches violators off guard.“People see us as municipal employees, but every member of this squad has served in the Army. Discipline is part of who we are,” said Virsen Tambe, commandant of the NDS.A retired Naib Subedar from the 2nd Battalion, Mahar Regiment, Tambe was posted at Suratgarh in Rajasthan during the Kargil conflict. While the fighting raged in the mountains, his unit prepared for a possible escalation along the western frontier.“We were deployed in a vulnerable sector where Pakistan had a potential tank approach. Our platoon laid anti-tank minefields and remained on constant alert,” he recalled. “Even though the war was in Kargil, every border formation had to be ready,” he added.For Tambe, the lessons of military service continue to guide his present role. “In the Army, discipline protects the nation. In civilian life, discipline keeps a city functioning,” he said.For retired Captain Sanjay Khandare of the 1st Battalion, Mahar Regiment, the war was about ensuring that frontline troops never ran short of ammunition. Initially stationed near Srinagar, his unit was mobilised after Pakistani shelling intensified. “Our responsibility was to ensure ammunition reached the fighting troops,” he said.The convoys moved only at night through treacherous mountain roads. “We used torchlight sparingly and unloaded supplies before dawn so the enemy would not detect fresh reinforcements,” he said.Arvind Bagale, then a gunner with the 141 Field Regiment, served in the Kargil and Batalik sectors operating the 105mm Indian Field Gun. “We fired based on coordinates from observation posts. Our shells supported infantry advances,” he said. Life on the battlefield offered little routine. “There was no fixed time for food or sleep. We rested whenever we could because firing could start at any moment,” he said.Some memories remain vivid even today. “Captain PV Vikram and Gunner Ramesh Jugal from our regiment were martyred. We still remember them,” Bagale said.Though their battlefield has shifted from borders to city by-lanes, the three veterans believe the purpose remains unchanged. Once they guarded ammunition convoys, laid minefields and fired artillery. Today, they enforce civic discipline and help keep public spaces clean.“People may argue when we issue penalties,” Tambe said with a smile. “But discipline cannot be compromised. That’s what the Army taught us,” he said.For most citizens, they are simply NMC officials issuing fines. Few realise that some once stood on icy Himalayan heights and scorching desert borders, prepared to lay down their lives for the country. The uniform has changed. The mission has not.