Every time when he came home to Palampur on leave, he would visit the Neugal Cafe. Batra last came home on leave from the army in 1999, during the Holi festival for a few days. During that time, when he went to the café for a coffee, he met his best friend and later on fiancee Dimple Cheema who told him to be careful in the war, to which Batra replied: I'll either come back after raising the Indian flag in victory or return wrapped in it. But I'll come back for sure.