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“Chal.... “ A person dragged her inside....! Rini went without resistance.  The other ladies were in the line to collect the payment.  No one noticed Rini’s disappearance.  The engulfing nightfall was gloomy.  The person dragged her into the interiors of the factory where huge packing machinery was installed.  The knocked down parts were getting shrink wrapped.  A labelling was done... the bubble plastic wraps were depecting the picture of toy guns....! Rini’s eyes flashed, seeing no one attending the automatic wrapping machine.  She swept her hand on the conveyer belt to drop one of the packed toy gun...! The man dragged her,  joined by another two men...! Rini understood where she was being led.  A smile appeared ...  She waited.... 

“Lait jao...” the man ordered removing her scarff... and tearing apart her gown... She shivered with the cold atmosphere... The man thrust a bottle into her mouth... 

“Drink...” he poured the bitter, pungent, sweet, smelly liquor into her mouth... She gulped without any protest...waiting for the next assault...! 

**********  *********

“What ..? What happened..? Did they....?” the team lead woman held Rini’s trembling hand.  Rinit just looked up ghostly with her clothes torn... her mouth bleeding... brouses on her hands... a big bump on her forehead...! The team lead understood.

“How many were there?” she asked clenching her fists helplessly.

“Th... thr... three...” Rini blurted painfully.  “These rascals... rapists....” The woman swore under her breath, moving last in the queue to collect the payment...!  Rini moved too.  

“What happened... the cashier asked gauging her from top to bottom, lustfully...” Rini didn’t answer.  He kept the cash on her palm and held her hand squeezing it, winking at her and murmured...!

“Kal raat ko...!” Rini withdrew her hand.  “You must be delicious...” he looked at her hungrily.  The team lead blocked Rini shielding her.  Rini’s body ached and her mind pained....! These men were worse than animals...! She clenched her fist looking at the Cashier.  “Another man in the queue...” she thought bitterly...! 

.............  .........

“Sleep.... !” the lady was mending Rini’s wounds....patting on her head.  Rini was groaning in pain.  

“Just don’t think about it... and stay in a group... hide yourself... ok?” the woman got up to leave Rini alone.  Rini just nodded.

“Who were there?” the woman asked.  “Don’t know... They were fighting among themselves...” Rini said curling up her lip.  The lady spat again cursing those animals....!

“You know? We all have gone through this... Unn logonki havas...” she spat loathingly.  Rini turned her face.  “What did they do to you...?” she asked....

“Wh...whipped me... and...” Rini hid her face sobbing and the lady hugged her gently with motherly warmth.  

“Humm...” she let out her trapped breath caressing her deliberate wounds...! She turned her face and the lady went out.  Rini took out the hidden packed toy to examine.  Apparently it looked like a toy gun..   Some Chinese labels were fastened at the back....

“A Toy factory....” Rini blurted bitterly.  And then smiled broadly.

“Waiting for tomorrow morning when the news breaks out....” hum,,” Rini closed her eyes and submitted herself to the sleep goddess....at peace...! 

She was being dragged into the interiors of the factory.... through the dark corridors, narrow gangways and finally brought into a room where huge stock of gunny bags had piled up...! “Lait jao...” a rough voice ordered tearing apart her burka...! She obeyed gauging the persons around, ready for the assault...! The liquor in her mouth tasted bitter... She gulped some of it and let it drip through the corners of her lips.  A person had removed his belt and had come forward menacingly... She waited... Others were laughing and taunting... Looking at her bare body....! The person whipped her with all his might... She groaned, falling flat on her face.  He pulled her up, and in a fraction of second, lost the grip on his belt... as an excruciating pain surged to his brain... Before others could know... Rini had broken his neck turning it in 180 degrees... His eyes popped out...! The next was the person with the bottle... she snatched the bottle broke it on the wall and pulled out the man’s arm from its socket...! The third man turned numb seeing her strength...tried to take out his mobile... Rini, in a swift movement, snatched his mobile and punched square on his nose...! Her commando training had put to test...! She slit his throat within no time taking a metal sheet lying around...! 

She looked around... This shabby room led to another room where the chemicals were stores.  She took a hurried look at the bottles and cans.  Nothing of her interest.  She went ahead to see a packet of potassium permanganate kept on the water tank, used as water purifier... She picked it up... came back... looked around, found a bottle of glycerine... and smiled....!

This should work.... She had torn her burka and took a long strip, soaked the strip in  the glycerine and poured the potassium permanganate into a bowl...! Keeping the bottle dripping glycerine on the strip, she hung the strip above the bowl, neatly arranged the gunny bags around...   And turning to have a final look at the three dead bodies...she looked at the time....! She had fifteen minutes to move out of the factory ...  ! 

Rini turned in her sleep... “Vinit...!” she blurted...missing him badly! He would have kissed her for her presence of mind...! 

******   *********

“Its a eighteen days ceremony....” Old Pandit said and Ravi exploded...

“No way...”...! Dhatri looked aghast...! She was not ready even for eighteen minutes and this old man was giving her shock after shocks.  She looked at armored Ravi.  He looked like a Greek warrior.  She couldn’t believe, this was all happening to her.  Ravi too looked confused.  

“Their relatives..?” Old Pandit turned to Indroneel ignoring Ravi and Dhatri completely...!

“Here....” Avadhesh and Kranti entered the Mandir ringing the bells....! Dhatri lost her senses...!

“Ravi...!” she held his hand panicking...! He too felt all alone, things slipping out of his hands....! The show was getting highjacked by this concerted coup...! He turned to Avadhesh...! But before he could speak anything.....Kranti came forward..!

“Ravi... Kalindi Bhabi will get them all here.  Don’t worry... All the arrangements are done...!” she said happily and a group entered the Mandir.... Ravi could see the brightening skies with the dawn.... ! Sun also was in a hurry to rise to bless the wedding couple...! Indroneel exclaimed...”Baba... Dhaa... Look at you..! You look like a Rajkumari...” he said distracting her chain of thoughts and she turned to him angrily...! He gestured at Kranti to go ahead with the preparations taking control of the couple.  

.....   ......  .....

“Dr. Salil... I assure you... I will stay away from them...” Sayajirao said earnestly.  Salil shook his head.  The honesty touched his heart.  He looked up.

“I.. I am confused... Mr. Deo.. What you would have done, had you been in my place...?” Salil asked him and a droplet rolled down from Saya’s eyes....! He would have done the same...! 

“I would have done the same...” he said honestly and Salil looked up.  There was a killing silence for a long time....

“I am being a timid person all along.... Never stood up to the situation....” Sayajirao looked up at Salil who had hung his head.  

“I always chose the escape route... Never fought the cause....! “He admitted and Sayajirao stared at this simple honest  person.

“Mr. Deo... I must confess... I was scared when I heard the lady spitting venom ...! I just wanted my daughter to be safe, happy...! “ He swallowed hard to send back his tears....! 

“I am a cowered person, Mr. Deo... Scared of people, of society.. of everyone around...! And with Dhatri, I am more of it...! She needs protection...!” he said.  Sayajirao just nodded.  

“I must tell you the complete truth, Mr. Deo... Dhatri is a special child.... Special and unique in many aspects...”

“I know...” Sayajirao said to Salil’s relief.  

“I must tell you... She has gone through the unspeakable.....” Salil continued to tell him everything about Dhatri about her childhood, her kidnapping, her over dependence on her Rini Didi, her impulsive nature, her selfless kind heart... everything he knew about Dhatri.

“I know... Dr. Salil...” finally Sayajirao opened his mouth to speak.  Salil joined his hands...!

“Mr. Deo... hope you understand my concern... And I also know, Ravi is the right person for her... but It was I who had cold feet... Please Mr. Deo... Don;t misunderstand us and Dhatri... She will be your daughter in law.... And now you are her father...!” Salil broke down hiding his face.  Sayajirao waited for Salil to gather himself.

“Dr. Salil... Please bless the couple and take my son as yours, Dr. Salil... Let him have the family, I couldn't give... which he craved for all his life... Give him your love.... !” Sayajirao requested... Salil looked up...

“Yes.. Mr. Deo... Bhanu, Vinit and now Ravi... are all my sons.. along with my daughters...! I have a complete family now...!” Sayajirao gave him a broad smile..!

“Congratulations, Dr. Salil...” He said brightly... “To you too... Mr. Deo..” Salil reciprocated...!  

****  ****  *****