THE ENCOUNTER
(Its a true story of my Father in Law)
A six year old boy was playing in the backyard of his house. There
stood an iron pole inserted vertically. The children used to climb up
and then slide down. The elder ones performed all sorts of exercises.
But that day he was all alone. He found a leather belt. He held
it tightly in his little hand and started whipping the pole
relentlessly.. His mother stood at the doorstep watching him. He
whipped the pole again and again murmuring “why did you kill my father.”
He was red with rage. Not knowing the child’s sudden behavior she
rushed at him. He screamed “why did you kill my father.” The words
deafened her ears and she consoled her young one took him in her arms.
She knew she could not bring back his father. Her husband would never
return! He was killed by the dacoit.
Her husband was an Inspector in the Police force. He was posted at
Badnaver, in Madhya Pradesh. Everybody addressed him as Raosaheb.
Raosaheb was very handsome strongly built and a brave person. He
caught hold of dangerous thieves and vagabonds and put them behind the
bars.
life went on.. he found a beautiful lady fell in love and
eventually married her. They were blessed with five children. As soon
as he returned home from his tour, the children would cluster round him.
He played with them. He would pick the young ones and swing them on his
arms. Their reverberating laughter and chuckles freshened him up.
Night was pleasant to be in parents arms. This bliss lasted for a
very short period. The darkness enveloped the twinkling stars which
foretold a grievous future for the family.
That very night the Inspector spoke to his wife about his plans to
catch the dacoit. A pall of gloom spread over her. She was
dumbfounded as all her plans to desist him from venturing his arduous
task.
Parting with his dear ones he strode away in the eerie jungles with
his small coup—a handful of men and meager ammunition. The dense
forest near Badnawar in Madyapradesh was the dacoit’s hideout. They
drove in the deep forests in bullocarts – it was the only means to
travel in those days. The narrow lanes of the village, after village
was traversed until one village was spotted for supplying huge amount of
chicken meat and wines. At ones the Inspector acumen directed his men
towards that place. soon they confronted a fierce looking person clad
in military uniform with broad mustache. No doubt that he was the
famous dacoit Nathakanjar the most wanted by the police force. He was
surrounded by his men.. They were well equipped with ammunition. He
roared aloud to bring the Inspector before him. After much
interrogation the dacoit had insisted the Inspector to give up his
Police uniform his belt and guns and surrender before them. The brave
Inspector preferred to fight with him unto his death. It would be an
insult to his profession to go back and cowardly submit to the dacoit’s
demands. A fierce battle raged between the two troops. A sepoy who fled
for his life had climbed a tree and saw the drama with his naked eye.
He was a sole survivor and later narrated the whole incident to the
family members and the villagers all that had transpired between the two
parties. The fearless Inspector was none other than the little boy’s
father.
The body of Raosaheb was brought home and laid for last darshan.
The small boy caught hold of his weeping mother’s hand, consoled her and promised to take care of her henceforth.
The heavens rumbled as the guns were fired..a mark of salutations for the Martyr. The last rights were performed..
Years later,
the promise he had made to his mother had been fulfilled when his
mother breathed last. A huge void left him, but this time he was not
alone, his better half held him to share his grief
