Bhadauliya, Mid-Afternoon, 2 Days Later
"Teacher didi, teacher didi!" Shambu came running to her, as she taught multiplication tables to the kids in class.
"Shambu, why so late today? Come join the class," reprimanded Urvashi. But seeing the child panting, walked up to the earthen pot kept in a small sand pile. She drew in a stainless steel tumbler full of cool, sweet water and handed the glass to the boy.
Shabu drank the water in one gulp. Then wiping the water off his chin, he quietly rinsed the glass with some water and kept it upside down on top of the pot. "I think something big is about to happen. There will probably be some operations taking place in the forest area. I saw two big jeeps driving toward the village. I think it is better to stop the school for today teacher didi, " he said, his eyes wide in anticipation.
Urvashi's brows knotted. If there was any such operation taking place, surely there would be communication from the collecter's office wouldn't there? She was she had not heard any official communication about any operations. What was Shambu talking about?
Urvashi pondered on the subject for a couple of minutes. Shambu was an innocent, studious kid, definitely not a prankster.
"Sit down first, let me have a word with Satnami ji. Continue with memorizing the tables until 9. In the exam you will have questions where you will need to use these tables," she instructed and walked towards the sawmill of the village head.
She knew that Satnami ji would be at his sawmill at that time of the day. So she went to the other side of the village, overlooking the forest. The approach road leading into Bhadauliya came through the forest area. Which was these forests were Naxal infested, it was easy for them to lay booby traps for incoming vehicles of government officials, sometimes even police personnel.
She came to the sawmill from the back door, and just as she was coming in, from the distance, she could see a 2 vehicle party with Indian flags on the bonnets coming towards the village. They were still quite far away, but the diesel grey vehicles were easy to spot amidst the lush green of the forest. From the look of the vehicle, Urvashi felt like they were Army vehicles of some sort. Urvashi's heart sank. why were there army vehicles here today?
Satnami ji came from inside and greeted Urvashi in a namaste. He observed how she suddenly seemed to have turned pale."All ok?" asked Satnami ji, looking concerned.
"Hmm, all ok," replied Urvashi, even as sweat trickled down from the side of her temples. Her palm had turned sweaty too, in tension. She pointed toward the approaching vehicles in the distance, without looking at them, "Shambu was saying, some operation is about to happen. Do you have any idea? I need to send the kids back home if there is anything happening," she asked, her fists clenched hard.
Stanami ji looked in the direction she pointed and noticed the moving vehicles. His interest was piqued too. "Those look like army vehicles, but I didn't get any information from the collector. Usually, if the army is involved, they evacuate us to Chandualiya. Why don't we do this? Why don't you send the kids back home and I will call the collector right now. Whatever it is, I will send one of my men to inform you," he said and hurried back into the sawmill.
Urvashi ran back towards the school, even as the vehicles got closer and closer to the village.
What she could not have noticed was how the windows in the vehicle on the rear, were pulled down and how someone watched her with binoculars, even as she ran hastily to the school.
Urvashi raced down to the school as soon as she could. She told the students to get back to their homes and stay indoors until their parents had more information. She ensured that the kids had all gone back and she picked up, her books, her pens, cane, phone etc, and put them into her huge cloth tote. She walked briskly towards her hut as fast as she could.
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