Yesterday I went to a police station for the purpose of documents' verification for passport & an unexpected incident occurred to me that gave me the impact which can never be forgotten...While me and my brother were answering the query of the officer.. another officer appeared saying"they have come". And "they" were a lady and a teenager boy..so the officer started talking to him indecently (not abuses yet)after asking where his father was. He replied"ghar pe" (at house).
"Ye teri mummy hai..." (Is she your mother?) She was standing with expression of helplessness and shame..the officer who'd announced their arrival stopped the lady outside while the hawaldaar (policeman) here asked the boy to take the position of cock in the corner,next to where I sat on bench..Room was hardly 40:30 or 30:20...the boy was crying and shivering out of terror and repentance ,maybe. Hawaldaar asked him to take the chair position now..he couldn't... he was a 16yr old school boy in 9th standard. Hawaldar asked how much money had he stolen..boy said 50rupees. To that both Hawaldar and his senior (next to CI,Chief Inspector) refused to agree cause they already had camera footages and 'bayaans' (interrogatory reports)from village people which he had been typing listening from the recorder since I had entered the cabin..the boy was hardly 2inches to my left & it felt what he said went foremost in my ear..officer from outside came and he also started his routine.."aise nahi..dekh main kaise karra hun niche ho..hath aage..han baithna nahi hai..rona! Natak mat karna yahan" (Not like that,see how I'm doing. Get lower,hands in front. You don't have to sit. Crying! No acting here.) The way he was shivering and crying... eyes shrunken due to weeping since a long time and lower eyelids swollen and slightly pinkish..Seniormost officer said ,"tune pehle kaha kaha ki? Pehli bar to kari nahi hogi hai na?pehle khudke ghar ki hogi..fir rishtedaar k yaha..padosi k yahan.. Kab kab kahan kahan aur kitne paise churae sab bata abhi."(Where did you steal first most? You aren't doing this for the 1st time right? First at your own house then relatives'..then neighbour's..Tell clearly when where and how many rupees you stole. Now.)
"2-3baar hi ki pakda gya tha.."(2-3times only and got caught)[speaking with great difficulty and stammering]
"2-3 ni 2 ya 3 exact bata"(Tell exactly-2/3 not 2-3)
"3baar.."(3times..)
Hawaldar-kitne aur kaha kiye sab sach sach bata de to kuch nahi karunga.. (Honestly confess where and how many times you did this then I'll not do anything to you.)
I doubted that for the boy..
"Abhi to 50rs kiye the,pakda gya wapis de diye..uske pehle petrol lia tha wapas de dia..uske pehle 1000rs liye the wo bhi de diye unko.."(This time I took 50,got caught so returned..before that took petrol,returned..before that 1000rs that also I gave them back..)
When they asked same thing from him, sequence of events changed...all this while I didn't have courage to raise my head to anyone,be it the matter going on..not cause I was afraid or least bothered..but things were getting out of control and I was about to cry any moment, already felt tears appearing.
Senior officer-(What do you do of that money? Gambling?Partying?)
Boy- Saurabh ko chahiye the..usne bola...(sobbing)(Saurabh needed..he said..)
Hawaldar to me- aapko passport kyu(Why do you want to get a passport...)...and looks at me..agape. Coz I am now crying like a possessed girl and not raising my head..all are quiet for seconds that seemed like eternity..
Hawaldar-gudia apko kya ho gaya!!????(What happened to you sweet doll)
And a frequent weeper can say how much this question brings flooding of tears..my brother feeling how mad his sister is said "unko achha nahi lagta koi kisiko daantta h to.."(She doesn't like when someone scolds anyone..)
Hawaldaar-arey arey...me to soch hi nhi skta..pani pilao inko...(Ohh I can't even imagine.. Someone fetch her water).
Me all hysterical sobs and all ,no hanky, shit..and let me put it straight- Police wasn't wrong. They were doing their duty,its their routine, they see 100s like that poor soul everyday. I'm not blaming them at all... I just couldn't see him suffering..be it because of his own deeds...and I'd seen my cousin of nearly Sam's age cry the same way too..just 1yr difference in them.. I wondered what made him steal? He looked innocent then why such path.. I wished I had a 'private space' with him as said in movie Kabir singh and say to him-.Beta kabhi bhi paiso ki zarurat ho to mere pass ajana mein de dungi..par kabhi chori mat karna...(Whenever you need money come to me but never steal..after I get a job I'll give you pocket money every month dear..)
How to not cry? Bloody tears don't take my permission it's a curse. I wished I was more emotionally controlled...after drinking water hawaldar spoke to me- arey isne koi achha kaam nahi kia hai..ye iske rishtedar h inne complain ki hai..(Listen he hasn't done anything good..This man is his relative who complained against this boy)
Senior officer- mandir me chori ki hai isne...(He stole from a temple...)as if I lost completely of what's right and wrong.
Then both explained the exact location of temple to my brother- a monument of composition. Hawaldar said to his senior-maine esa kabhi nahi dekha..(I've never seen such an incident where..) He was shocked and grimacing while thinking of what just happened.
"Isliye kehra tha inko jaldi niptaao..."(That's why I was saying you to finish their work..)
Not knowing what to do ,he said,"thik hain...main dekh lunga aap padhaariye" (Okay!... I'll see...You may go..)
I took away my documents and we went from that place.. I wish he wasn't punished more..I pray for him.. may he and his parents have a bright future and longer healthy life..
