Part 16

“Salil, Minister visited…!” Nilima said gravely to Salil’s shock. 

“What? When?…Who?” Salil asked with bated breath.  He again had gone to the Chandrapur Police station to identify Dhatri’s belongings and had come back saying those were not Dhatri’s.  This was the fifth time in last two months he was called to the police station to either identify body or to confirm some clue.  CRPF had done a combing operation in the jungles of Bastar with no success.  Suspicion alarmed him.  “Is the minister behind this?” He floundered.  He couldn’t do anything for his Dhaa.   He just had to wait for some news about her.  

“Salil, what happened?” Nilima asked concerned.  He couldn’t tell her anything.  Helplessness crept in. He turned his face and went out hiding his tears.  He was losing it.  He was losing hope that his daughter would return.  Disha had already lost it.  It was only Dharini who kept saying, that Dhaa would return.  She was sure that her Dhaa is alright and would return soon.  She tried going out of the house in search of her Dhaa only to be brought back by Dayal Chacha.  Salil kept the doors locked in the night.  

Schools reopened.  Dharini forced her father to buy books for her Dhaa also.  “I know, Dhaa will be back soon!” she was sure. “I will help her in studies!” she kept saying.  Her faith and optimism kept the family going.  Maasi Maa had gone back.  Disha’s college had started.  She ignored the gazes of people and whispers of her classmates and concentrated on her studies keeping her head down.  Bhanu Pratap kept calling her from Delhi.  She poured her heart out to him.  Only Dharini was normal who kept her head on her shoulders.  But her aggressiveness had intensified.  Any mention of her Dhaa would flare her up and she would bash the person furiously.  She was the only person in the house who kept her Dhaa alive.  Everyone else had given up.  Police search was unsuccessful.

On December 1, 2000, a combining operation in naxal-affected Saranda forest area of West Singhbhum district, Police also recovered a solar plate, four radio sets, couple of torch, a flash light, some medicines, clothes, laptop chargers sixteen dead bodies of the villagers and three half dead bodies; of a girl of around four ; a middle aged woman and a boy of around 10!  They were admitted to the Civil Hospital of Bastar and again Dr. Salil was called for identification.  

He couldn’t recognize his own young daughter.  A skin headed, painted black, with blisters on her hands and bruises all over her body; the girl was fighting for life in the ICU with tubes and monitors attached to her body.  She was gasping under the oxygen mask and doctors were worried about her recovery.

“No! She is not Dhatri.  She is some other girl..! She is not Dhaa!” Dr. Salil kept saying looking at the girl, losing her battle from the door.

“Ok….!” Police Inspector sighed.  He had some hopes that he had some success but Dr. Salil’s denial proved him wrong.  Dr. Salil turned to leave looking at the Inspector hopelessly.  The doctor attending to the girl came out.  

“Inspector… she is blurting some name… Rini.. Didi.. something…!” Dr. Salil turned shocked.

“What? What did you say? Didi? Rini Didi?” he held Doctor’s shoulders shaking him vigorously.  “Ye… yes!” Doctor confirmed.  The next moment Salil was inside ICU.  

“Dhaa…!” he cried out chocking….! No response.  Doctor dashed in to control Salil.  Salil broke down completely.

“I don’t know! I can’t tell!” he kept saying hiding his face in his palms and crying out his daughter’s name.  Inspector somehow brought him out.  He regained his composure after a while.  

“Umm… Salil Saab… I mean … who is this Rini Didi?” asked Inspector in a low tone.  Dr. Salil looked at him blankly, “she is my daughter, Dharini…!” he said aghast.  Inspector gaped in shock.  He looked at Dr. Salil.

“Can we bring her here?” he asked and Dr. Salil nodded. 

Dharini was brought to the Civil Hospital. 

“Dhaaa….! She is Dhaa…Papa!” Dharini tried to break free from her father the moment she saw the girl on the almost death bed. 

 Doctor was still worried.  Dhaa was losing the battle.  Her pulse was weak, she was not responding to the treatment.  

“No! Dharini.. wait!” Salil tried to hold her tight.  But she went hysteric the moment she saw Dhatri.

“Papa… she is Dhatri… I know…Let me go in…!” Dharini cried out loudly.  Dr. Salil looked at the Inspector and Doctor.  Doctor nodded.  

“Dharini, come here!” Doctor took her away.  “Look.  The girl in the ICU is not well.  She is very sick.  We have to be careful. 

  Ok?” he said in a whisper.  “Ok!” Dharini nodded.  She was ready to accept anything to go to her Dhaa. 

“And you will not touch her! Ok?” Dharini nodded again.

“And don’t touch anything.  You know, she is sick! Ok?” Dharini accepted every condition.

“Let me go in…!” she pleaded.  “Ok!” the doctor took her inside.  Dharini went inside and stood beside her Dhaa.

“Dhaa….” She called out in the girl’s ear.  No response.  Dharini couldn’t control herself.  She held her sister’s hand.  “Dhaa…!” she called out again.  No response!  

“She is unconscious, beti..!” the doctor too chocked looking at the plight of desperate Dharini.  Dhatri was losing her battle with this.

“Dhaa…!” Dharini screamed at the top of her voice when the doctor tried to take her out and Dhaa shuddered.  The monitor beeped and the doctor turned.  He held Dharini’s wrist.  “Call her again!” he said looking at the monitors.  

“Dhaa…!” Dharini called out in a scream again and the girl on the bed shuddered again.  

“Stay here! Don’t touch anything…!” The doctor said in excitement and signalled the nurse issuing frantic instructions.  Two of the nurses bustled and Dharini was taken away.

“Papa… she is Dhaa.  I called herr… She is Dhaa!” Dharini said sobbing hard.  After a torturous while the doctor came out.  “Dharini, you stay here with your Dhaa…”  He said looking at Salil and Dr. Salil nodded with tearful eyes.  He called home.  

“Nilima… Dharini says its Dhaa…!” he said unsure.  He still was not sure but Dharini was sure that it was Dhatri.  Only the girl on the bed would know who she was.