Again it is month of
December; December overwhelms me. I am remembering that Black December, sitting
in cosy winter sunshine of December, in my lawn.The dry leaves were rustling in
the breeze.That killer bullet was shot at to snatch the bag filled with
Government cash, lacs of Rupees.Destiny played its role, Rajoo was killed, and
I am alive to share this real story.I am alive, hence I say it white December.
Rajoo entered in my life for
a reason.It seems that he was a godsend angel in my life to sacrifice himself;
to keep me alive.This happened in a Black December 28 years ago.It was destiny that brought
us together.
That was a cold and bright day of December.The railway crossing,
which most of the time would have been closed, strange it was open. This railway
track has high railway traffic, from Calcutta to Jammu .The National highway
leads to Nainital and far ahead to Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu Kashmir.
Hamlog khilona hai, ek aise khiladi ke
Surprisingly by the time we reached here, it was open. My office
from this point was hardly 300 meters away.Suddenly a killer bullet bursted the
silence. Rajoo was lying fell down on railway line.Two boys riding on motorcycle were running away after snatching government cash bag having lacs of
Rupees.
We were carrying salary cash of field and office staff from
Bank. Rajoo was sitting with cash bag, behind Mr “Z “on his Motorcycle. I was
behind Mr “X” .Seeing wounded Rajoo lying on Railway line, I ran away crying
and shouting on foot to Division office.
With the help of my Executive Engineer and other staff ,
unconscious Rajoo was carried to
district Hospital,where Doctors advised
to carry him to King George Medical
College Lucknow.In an ambulance,and one night journey we reached Lucknow ,where
Doctors declared him dead.We came back with dead Rajoo.
Entry of Rjoo in my life
I was lying on my bed trying to sleep; mind was blown out to
decades back when I was a young bachelor Engineer.
After completing my Engineering degree, I got a job in Steel
Authority of India (SAIL) ,posted in Rourkela (Orissa).From there my officers
shifted me to a coal field mines area to look after construction work of a
conveyor belt, for carrying coal from mines .That was a tribal area ,
surrounded by thick forest.
I was a homesick boy and unfamiliar to that life. I was not
comfortable there at a distance of about 1500 Km.I remembered the day, in one
trip to home, when first; my father introduced me to Rajoo. I was in need of a
boy for my domestic and kitchen work.
I liked him. His education was upto class 10th, a soft spoken boy.Before
joining SAIL, in Rourkela, I appeared in State Engineering Services .By the
grace of Almighty, my name was in successful candidates.Without any hesitation,
and I joined state Engineering services.Needles to mention that Rajoo came with
me.
The loot of govt money and murder of a govt employee was taken
seriously by the state and district administration. An F.I.R was already lodged
.Now it became a normal system to interrogate me by police, and press
reporters. In any such statement, it may be that I told “They were looking
young people by their bodily physique of normal height”.
Next day this was main headline of all local and state level
news papers, adding more salt and pepper .It fuelled and fanned to me and my
family’s tension and greife.The climax to it, that within few days, I received
a threatening letter stating....
“Tumne bahut
badi galti ki hai, mujhe pehchan kar, ab tumhare aur tumhare bachchon ki
khariat nahi hai”(You have done a gt.mistake by recognising us, now we will not
leave you and yr family).
I am thankful to my higher officers, District Magistrate, Senior
Superintendent of Police, to provide police protection. A sub inspector ranked
police officer was my shadow.From that day, to my great pain and tension; it
was a normal routine of police to call me in police station at any time to sit
me idle. By the grace of Allah that days passed away.After few weeks shadow was
removed.
One fine day I was checking my official letter Dak pad.The same
threatening letter was in my dak pad.Again, I was under police security, a
police shadow for me.I requested my senior officers to transfer me, other
district far away from this city.
One day, I was asked by police to come in district jail for
shanakht parade of culprits in jal. I was unable to recognize any one of them.
“Dhanyawad, Namaste”, some one among them shouted happily.
In the meantime, I got my transfer orders to a remote Eastern district. I with my family shifted to that place .This ended my fearful
days.
Destiny of Rjoo’s Family
Raju’s wife got a Govt. job as a peon on humanitarian ground.
They hired a room and lived.
After many years, I got a horrifying story of Raju’s wife. She
married her brother in law (Rajoo’s younger brother).During some illness she
died.His husband (Rajoo’s brother) an educated man, M.A.in Economics, got a govt
job in place of her wife (Raju’s wife). This happened decades before. I don’t know where is Rajoo’s
brother, and his children .I pray for their happy life.Ameen
Moral of Story
“Nothing shall ever happen to us except what Allah has ordained
for us. He is our “protector.” And in Allah let the believers put their
trust.Thank Life for Happening, Thank Every Twist and Turn. There Is A Reason
For Every Single Thing; There Is A Reason For Every Worry And Concern.”
Yes: it is true that everything in life happens for a purpose,
and always for our own good. If we think about it, all our past experiences
actually happened to bring us to where we are today and it is always for the
good. All the past experiences make us a better person.
What to say about the tragedy happened with Rajoo, it was his
fate, his destiny.That was the month of December, when Rajoo was killed by
killer bullet, that is why I remember this month as Black December.It was my destiny that I am
alive ,so that was a white December for me.
Jisko abhi sadiyon tak ye khel rachana hai.
Written and posted by Engr
Maqbool Akram.Photos used are symbolic, taken from net with thanks.
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