Have you ever ever confronted an try in your life?
A pity, in case your reply isn’t any! If solely as a result of the soul experiences an amazing launch in that
second. Immediately, physique and soul half methods inside your residing self. They take to the air on their
separate paths. One factor, nevertheless, is definite. It’s higher to die at an murderer’s palms than
escape. In case you do escape, then say ‘swaha’ to the remainder of your life, which is gone ceaselessly, like an
providing to a sacrificial fireplace. Each face you see after will likely be suspect. Even your individual shadow
gained’t appear to belong to you – however to the murderer. You’ll really feel one thing piercing proper
by way of your chest; you’ll squirm in sudden bursts of ache.
I’ve been in such a state since 16 November, the night time on which I used to be attacked. The entire of
that day was spent standing in a queue in entrance of the financial institution. Simply eight days earlier, one-
thousand- and five-hundred-rupee notes have been banned within the nation. The federal government was nonetheless
making mutually contradictory statements; the brand new notes weren’t but prepared. Individuals camped
in entrance of banks day and night time. Information of them collapsing and dying in queues saved piling. I had
reached my office trying limp and wilted. I used to be on the fourth shift. The assault occurred
when, after work, I used to be dropped off on the rusted gate of my rented home, simply as I had began
to push it open. It was previous midnight. The corporate automobile that had dropped me had not even
disappeared from sight when a bike got here up noiselessly from the darkish. Somebody who’s
misplaced his means contained in the housing colony, I believed, and turned. I noticed his hand slink between his
legs. Ah, an exhibitionist, thought I – a member of that everlasting race, positive to outlast us all. Then
he pointed one thing at me. I didn’t peer once more to ensure that it was a gun. I ducked; the
sound of a windowpane shattering rang terrifyingly. My consciousness was dripping away however I
noticed him take purpose once more. I fell flat on my face. A bullet hit the bottom, and the sand and mud bought
into my eyes. I didn’t see him purpose a 3rd time, however I may foresee it. Clutching on to my life, I
rolled in direction of the highway. My good luck or unhealthy – a wild-looking younger man, a neighbour whom I
had not but met, arrived there on his hulk of a bike after a late-night film. He braked
immediately and honked repeatedly. The gunman’s automobile sped away, and I escaped.
The younger man helped me up. However physique and soul had already parted. I’m lifeless, I continued to
imagine. My limbs stiffened. Nonetheless holding me up, honking, and shouting for assist, he roused the
neighbours. I heard his voice as if from throughout a river. Loss of life was the bluish-red-tinged financial institution of a
river – such issues have been revealed to me. I used to be crossing it, seated atop my bullet-ridden physique as
a canoe. The river was the color of flames. The ripples rose as cool tongues of flame in direction of
the sky, the spray of sparks scattered throughout.
Some folks ran as much as us and carried me to the home of our neighbour, Dr Fernandes. The
physician shook me awake gently, splattered water on my face. I used to be reborn into the disquiets of
life with nice reluctance.
Utterly exhausted, I lay nonetheless for about an hour, nonetheless yearning for the violet shores of demise.
Akhil Gupta, a Superintendent of Police and a resident of our colony, got here as much as me in between
and requested some questions. I may solely babble. He advised me that males from the native police
can be defending me. I spent the remainder of the night time in the home of that ‘freaken’ younger man. I
couldn’t however assist fun even in my horrible state after I heard that his identify was Mrityunjoy
Sen. His mom, Dr Sandeepa Sen, was a instructor on the college. She obtained me very kindly.
Dr Fernandes had given me a sleeping tablet; I slept like I used to be rehearsing demise. Within the morning,
Sandeepa advised me that I had screamed twice in my sleep. By the point I bid her goodbye and
staggered in direction of my home, my physique had turn into a moist sheath of leather-based with soggy flesh
hanging inside. A sheath just like the one Gurkhas use to maintain their knives in. One used to hide
the sharpness of the dagger and to guard the world exterior from that sharpness.
The SP and the president and secretary of our Residents’ Affiliation have been ready exterior, in
entrance of the gate of my home. They have been chatting in regards to the marriage ceremony of an ex-minister’s
daughter. I overheard the inspector say that the bride’s sari was price seventeen crore. The
optimism round black cash vanishing was dimming, it appeared. I led them inside. The damaged
shards of glass had fallen on the sit-out too. The inspector was observing the premises keenly.
He loosened the bullet that had damaged the windowpane and pierced a wall. He frowned like a
nice crime investigator, pressed his fingers on his lips, bent, craned his neck and stretched to
study intently the entire 750 sq. ft, together with a drawing-cum-dining space, a bed room, a
examine, a small lounge, a kitchen, and a small work space exterior, enclosed with an iron grille.
He requested me to explain what had handed. The president of our Residents’ Affiliation H.H.
Reddy and the secretary Atul Shetty inspired me to talk. Shetty recorded all of it on his
iPhone. Perhaps it was a case of mistaken id? Reddy expressed his doubt. A senior scholar
had been murdered this manner. I, too, remembered the picture of the blood-splattered items of
his spherical spectacles. Not shocking he died that means, mentioned Shetty. He wrote false tales towards
the federal government. Sandeepa Sen additionally writes such issues, Shetty added, reducing his voice. He
shot the mistaken particular person, the SP mentioned to himself. For a cut up second, Samir’s face flashed in my
thoughts. However my voice didn’t rise. The three continued to ask questions which they themselves
answered. Gandhis are gone, mentioned Shetty, now the contract killings are going to go up. However solely
the bizarre people are bereft of Gandhis, Reddy countered. They have been speaking in regards to the five-
hundred-rupee notes, after all. The SP assured me that quickly an in depth assertion can be
taken from me. He promised Reddy that safety within the colony can be elevated. Quickly, all of
them have been gone. The home was now empty. My coronary heart was nonetheless pounding. I used to be swamped with
guilt and the worry of humiliation. Intense darkness rolled and thrashed about inside my head.
After a while, in got here a sub-inspector with swarthy cheeks and eyes that appeared as if
sorrow had congealed in them ceaselessly, accompanied by a pot-bellied head constable and a
younger girl constable who was no less than 5 ft ten inches tall. They have been to document my
assertion. They requested me the next questions, and these have been the responses I gave them:
‘What’s your identify?’
‘Satyapriya.’
‘How lengthy have you ever been residing right here?’
‘Sixteen months.’
‘Aren’t you afraid to reside right here alone?’
‘The girl who used to reside right here earlier was additionally alone.’
‘However you would have discovered a flat or a hostel room?’
‘Merely can’t put up with hostel wardens on high of all the pieces on the age of forty-four.’
‘The place have been you earlier than you moved right here?’
‘In Odisha.’
‘Why did you progress right here?’
‘As a result of I discovered a greater job.’
‘What’s your job?’
‘It’s within the HR division of a software program firm.’
‘Do HR staff work at night time?’
‘That is an American firm.’
‘At what time did you go to work yesterday?’
‘At 5, within the night.’
‘The place have been you till then?’
‘I had gone to the financial institution at ten within the morning.’
‘To deposit or withdraw?’
‘To withdraw.’
‘How a lot?’
‘The ink to mark those that change notes ran out. So I couldn’t change any cash.’
‘Do you suppose that the motive was theft?’
‘No.’
‘Aren’t there safety preparations in your organization’s automobile? Shouldn’t they ensure that
you might be safely inside your own home earlier than leaving?’
‘That’s the rule.’
‘Why have you ever not complained towards this breach of guidelines?’
‘Have not likely felt insecure right here. The SP’s home is simply previous the bend down the highway.’
‘All proper. What’s your instructional qualification?’
‘Double MA, MBA.’
‘Double MA?’
‘In Communicative English and Malayalam.’
‘You don’t have any family members?’
‘My dad and mom reside in my native place.’
‘Are you married?’
‘No.’
‘What does your father do?’
‘Nothing these days. He’s totally paralysed.’
‘Siblings?’
‘A sister. She died in a automotive crash.’
‘A automotive crash?’
‘On the highway. Her scooter collided with a lorry.’
‘Was it an accident?’
‘That’s what the police mentioned.’
‘Do you’ve gotten any enemies?’
‘To not my information.’
‘Anyone within the workplace?’
‘There have been disagreements.’
‘About what?’
‘Work-related issues.’
‘Why are you not married?’
‘As a result of I haven’t discovered anybody appropriate.’
‘Didn’t you strive placing out a matrimonial advert?’
‘No luck.’
‘It’s tough to think about that no man ever fell in love with a handsome girl such as you.’
I believed for a second after which mentioned, ‘Luck in love is straight proportional to submissiveness,
not magnificence.’
The SI frowned. The girl constable gaped, her eyes full of disbelief. To vary the subject,
the SI requested for my id card. I gave it to him. The top constable copied down the handle
fastidiously. The questions continued.
‘Have you ever seen the person on the bike wherever?’
‘I didn’t see his face. He was sporting a helmet. All I noticed was the pistol in his hand.’
‘Are you able to describe him?’
‘The reality is that I noticed solely the pistol.’
‘Did you notice down the bike’s registration quantity?’
‘No, however I feel it ended with 25.’
‘So you haven’t any suspects in thoughts?’
‘No. No less than for now.’
‘Which means?’
‘My thoughts feels numb. Can’t focus.’
‘All proper, we’ll come once more. Do tell us should you recollect anything.’
The police left.
The views expressed on this article are the creator’s personal and don’t essentially replicate Truthful Observer’s editorial coverage.
