Written by Major General Bipin Bakshi and illustrated by Rishi Kumar and published by AAN comics, Niranjan the Bomb Buster is a great graphic novel about one Indian NSG soldier named Lt. Col. Niranjan.
The comic takes us to the Pathankot Airbase Attack stays there from 1st January to 3rd January 2016. Lt. Col. Niranjan was from BDS (Bomb Disposal Squad). At the airbase the army, IAF, and police was already fighting the terrorists. Once they kill them, the next task belongs to BDS. They have to scan the area and then clear it from any bombs, mines, in fact any sort of explosives.
Lt. Col. Niranjan is the commander of his troop. He leads from the front and during the process of defusing the bombs strapped to the dead bodies of Islamic terrorists, he loses his life. He succumbed to his injuries while moving to a hospital. However, he showed a great sign of leadership and bravery and saved the lives of his squad. He deliberately kept them at a distance.
The book is pictorial and one can understand much of the action by just pictures. I really liked the book and its message to the country. Lt. Col. Niranjan laid down his life for the country. He was awarded with Shaurya Chakra posthumously.
Language is simple, though the book is based on real life but I read as I am reading a fictional tale in a comic form as I used to do in my childhood.
“All right. Niranjan, now this is where you come in. Once the assault team neutralizes the threat then you and your team go in to disarm the terrorists and sanitize the area.”
“Clear the area and defuse and explosives found. Mind you, they will be wearing suicide explosive vests. So be extremely careful, is that clear?”
It is a good comic – it shows what it takes to serve a country. Readers can get emotional…I am sure.
ibooksta 