Anirudh- The Story Of A Misread Barrister

Chapter-2: The Truth

By the time we reached our bungalow, many of the villagers stood at the threshold of the main entrance whispering something among themselves, while my kaka and baba stood there silently not knowing how to deal with them. Any kind of controversial news spreads like a wildfire throughout the village, especially when we live in a society where people are very much interested in others' lives than their own.

Bondita and I entered the scene along with the police. On seeing the police, kaka and baba got all the more nervous, while they threw angry glares at me. I couldn't meet their eyes because I am responsible for the current situation. The police started interrogating each and every member present in the house very rudely. Of course why wouldn't they? They don't have even an ounce of respect on the suspects and that too if the suspects are Indians. The British government did not leave any opportunity to torture Indians, especially if it feels that they are working against it.

When the police inspector was rudely questioning my family, I fisted my hands in anger. They villagers were getting themselves entertained, seeing all this. I looked at my family helplessly when my eyes fell on the little one who was standing in a corner shivering and crying. I understood that she was panicked by the whole thing and approached her. I gently rubbed off her tears and asked her to go inside her room. I assured that everything will be fine. Yet, as usual, she declared, "How can I leave my family in such a situation and go away, Pathi babu?".

The police were done with their questioning and obviously everyone argued that they did not know about Manorama's revolutionary activities. Her real identity was only known to me. Later, the police started to search the whole palace for proofs supporting their accusation. Now, my brain began thinking for various options that could save my family. I can let anything happen to me, but I cannot bear a little scratch on my family's happiness and reputation. Above all, my concern is about Bondita. As long as I am alive, I wouldn't let her face any hardship. If at all my family happened to get arrested and Bondita lands up in jail, that too because of my stupidity, I swear, that will be the last day of my life.

I finally spoke, "Inspector, you are simply accusing us without our fault. We don't have any links with the revolutionaries or their mission."

Then he approached me and holding my collar roared, "So you are the husband of that revolutionary, right? That means you must definitely know about her activities and I am sure you are her partner in the mission. So you are under arrest. You will be hanged.". Saying this they were about to drag me but my little angel Bondita came and stood in front of me like a shield and yelled, "You cannot take my pati babu. He is a good person who never lies and he doesn't harm anyone. I won't allow anyone to even touch him."

My eyes glistened looking at her trust on me. From the last one month I have been only lying. I lied to Bondita, my family and sometimes even to my own self. She joined her hands and pleaded not to take me anywhere, while they were trying to push her aside and carry out their duty. This chaos suddenly came to a halt when a stone wrapped inside a paper came through a window and fell in the hall where we were present. The police rushed to the window to figure out who threw that. The villagers were also looking everywhere noisily to get some clue of what was happening. One of the police took the stone and examined it. He removed the paper that wrapped it and began reading. It was undoubtedly a message for the police from Manorama.

"To the police who are the patrons of the British government or let's say traitors of Bharat......

Here is an open challenge for you. If you really have blood flowing through your veins, catch me, instead of torturing innocent people to avenge my activities. The Roy Chowdhary family whom you are trying to hold responsible for the viceroy's murder are actually innocent. They didn't have the slightest clue that I am a revolutionary. I don't have any relation with that family. All these days I have faked my identity saying that I am Mr.Anirudh's wife only to kill the Viceroy.