Part 9

“You also go out!” she yelled and the lady went out closing her door.  Dhatri looked around.  There were no windows.  She sat on the cot.  Her Rini didi would have helped her wear the new dress.  She started crying again.  The lady came back in. 

“What happened?” she asked.

“Shuuuuu.....!” Dhatri cried.  “What?” the lady asked.  “Number 1” Dhatri said lifting her frock up.  

“Ok...! Come!” she opened the door and Dhatri dashed out like an arrow.  Someone ran after her.  She had already reached downstairs.  Before anyone could catch her, she had reached the main door.  Bijoy caught her from behind and lifted her.

“Don’t you every try to do that.  There are gun men out there.  They will shoot you!” he told her. 

“Shoot me?” she looked confused.

“Like they did to your mother!” he threatened her.  Hearing ‘mother’ she broke into tears.

“I... want to go back.  I want my mother... she is hurt!” she said crying her heart out.

“She must be dead by now!” the same grumpy man who slapped her said with a glint.

“Dead? What is dead?” she asked.  Bijoy felt a knot in his heart.  Poor soul, doesn’t even know what is death...! he thought gravely grabbing her.  

I want to go back....! she cried out.  The grumpy man raised his hand to beat her up again.  She fell silent looking frightened.  Bijoy took her away.  The lady had reached.  She took Dhatri from him.

“I will take care of her!” she said and Bijoy went out to arrange for the vehicle.  Their stay was over.  They needed to move....!

*********    *********    ********

“No.....! I am not going in..... Awnaaaaaa....!” she was crying stomping, kicking and bashing in the air.  The grumpy man had lifted her above his head and was walking in.  She was scared to the core and she peed out. “No..!” both of them screamed and he put her down immediately.  She grabbed the opportunity and ran in opposite direction only to be caught by another ghostly person.  He slapped her so hard that she fainted with everything going black in front of her eyes.

“Stop it!” the man yelled lifting her again and entering the darkness.  They had reached their next destination.  They were to lie low for some days till the dust settled down.  She was not ready to go in.  The person had no other option.  He had to slap her hard.

Bijoy came out running.  “Give her to me!” he said sternly.

“Shut up!” the man said carrying her in.  A sole lantern was burning in that dark cave.  People were moving around easily with flickering long shadows.  “Its good that she is unconscious.  She would be scared here..!” Bijoy thought sitting by her side on the floor.  The ice like cold floor made him shiver.  He looked at her innocent sleeping face.  He couldn’t stop himself.

“I think we made a big mistake bringing her here!” he said loudly in Bengali.  “Shut up!” the grumpy man yelled.  “No, I will not, until I get the reason!” Bijoy yelled back. 

“You are not to ask Questions, Comrade!”   Gurmpy man stood before him authoritatively.  Bijoy took a step forward.  “No!” he said with determination.  “I want the answers... This is not our style.  We are against the government agencies... not against a small kid...!” he was yelling losing his temper.  The grumpy man came on to him  aggressively and hit him with the butt of his gun.  Bijoy fell down unconscious with blood oozing out profusely from his forehead.  The grumpy man dragged Bijoy and brought him where she was laid down.  

It was almost midnight and Dhatri opened her eyes in that unknown cave.  She sat up.  The sole lantern was burning dimly.  She looked at Bijoy sleeping next to her with.  There were people at the mouth of the cave around a camp fire and were talking in some unknown language.  Dhatri didn’t understand anything.  She was hungry.  She put her hand in her pocket and found a few chocolates.  She stuffed one in her mouth.  Her frock was wet.  She opened her mouth to cry out loudly but stopped suddenly as the lantern flickered and she saw a ghostly shadow.  She closed her eyes trying to find something to hide herself.  She found Bijoy’s warm body and crept near him.  She put her arm around his neck trying to hide herself in his arms and felt the wetness of blood on his shirt.   Her eyes closed.  She fell silent moving her hand on his face, she sensed something was terribly wrong with him.

“You are not well....!” she murmured.  She touched his wound with both her hands and they started moving in circle around his would involuntarily.   She closed her eyes going into trance and he was gaining consciousness.

“Hufff..... hum...huh...!” he moaned but no one heard.  Her fingers were moving faster, with her body temperature rising rapidly.  He felt the warmth around his would and opened his eyes with great effort.  She was sitting at his head and was moving her fingers rhythmically.  He felt a surge of warmth entering his body and no pain in his head.   The pain had vanished.  The bleeding had stopped.  The warmth from her fingers was entering his body through the wound, he was feeling better.  The fingers were moving faster and faster and he heard a faint groan of pain from her.  She had collapsed on the floor lifeless.  He sat up and touched her.  Her body was burning hot.  He yelled.  A woman came running in.

“What?” she asked.  “The kid is ..... dead..!” Bijoy lifted the kids lifeless body.  She bent down and touched the neck of Dhatri.  She sensed the pulse from the burning hot body.

“Oh! She has fever...!” she lifted her up and brought her out in the breeze.   The grumpy man looked more grumpy.  Bijoy walked out ignoring everyone.  He was feeling much better as if nothing had happened and no one had hit him. “Unbelievable!” he thought wondering about the miracle.  He touched his forehead.  There were traces of the wound but the pain had gone.  He hurriedly went inside taking a water bottle from his sack.

Dhatri was on the flood almost unconscious groaning with high fever.  The lady was trying to wipe her body with wet cloth.  He poured water on her head.  “More..!” she murmured turning on the floor.  The lady hurriedly went to get her bag for analgesic antipyretic medicine.  

Bijoy bent down to have a closer look at her.  She had opened her red eyes.  Her fingers and hands were red and swollen.  He touched her forehead and took his hand back with a jerk.  “She has fever...!” he looked at her kindly.  She turned shivering with her teeth clattering.  He picked her up in his arms. 

“Hurry up!” he said looking at the lady.  She came up with an injection.  Dhatri was pricked four times in these seventy two hours with practically nothing in her stomach expect for a few chocolates.  Bijoy wrapped her in a sheet and lifted her in his arms.  She seemed to be in deep sleep resting her head on his shoulder.  He stroked her head kindly.  He felt a bond towards her.

“Baby.... You will be alright!” he said wrapping his arm around her.  She had an admirer in the group of aliens.  He was determined to save her, to send her back.  

*********   **********   *********

Reporters were lurking around the hospital.  Media was prohibited.  Nilima was gaining consciousness and was responding to the treatment after almost seventy two hours.  Salil took a sigh of relief sitting on his bed.  The bullet was removed and his arm was tied with immobilizer.  He was allowed to move but not visit his wife yet.  She was still in trauma and was unable to comprehend the situation.  Laxmi bai was managing the house and trying hard to control the ever crying Dharini.  Doctor had to be called in to control her.  He gave him tranquilizers to quiet her most of the time.  The moment she used to get up, she used to run out of the house to search her Dhaa.  She had refused to eat.  “Dhaa must be hungry... she needs milk, we have to give her food...!” she blurted out incoherently.  Unable to bear her anguish Laxmi bai took her to the hospital and she cried her heart out looking at her father and hugging her Didi.  Disha pulled her in her arms and pacified her telling her not to cry and Dhaa would be back soon.  Dr. Salil talked to Dharini for a very long time.

“You know, Rini... Dhaa is a smart girl.  Whoever has taken her will repent soon... they will bring her back... I am sure!” he faked looking away dejected.  He had no ray of hope that Dhaa would come back.  They would have killed her by now.  He thought in anguish.  The things he had tried to avoid so far had come back to him like a ghost....!

“Dhaa...!” he broke down....!

“I want mamma....!” Dhaa was crying.  “Stop crying, baby... I will make sure you go back to your mamma.... baby....!” Bijoy whispered in her ears and she garlanded him with her tender arms happily.  She had an confederate in the group of enemy.   “Stop crying... “ he patted her.  “Uncle...!” she closed her eyes feeling exhausted on his shoulder.  He had made up his mind...to send her back safe.

Part 8

Part 8

Their trek group was around Disha.  Nihira with her parents went to the hospital.  Disha was sitting numb.  One police person was trying to talk to her.  She was in shock.  Nihira’s father came forward and talked to the police person and took him away.  

“Where is Dharini?” Asked Nihira’s mother.  “Dharini?” Disha didn’t know.  “Where  is she?” she got up with a shock looking around.  “Beti, she is at home..!” Dayal chacha held her hand.  Bhanu sat down by her side again.  

“I will take her home!” Nihira’s mother said in a consoling tone.  “Disha, come!” Nihira’s father took her away.  “Beti, I have talked to the inspector.  He won’t harass you.  But you will have to answer their questions.  They are trying their best.  Dhatri...!” he couldn’t complete, as Disha broke down under mental pressure.

“Dhatri... she cried silently missing her badly.  She wanted her back at any cost...!  “Yes uncle.  I will do as you say.  I will do anything to get her back...! I want my Dhatri back!” she said looking up after some time.  All her group nodded with determination.  “Yes we will do anything to get Dhatri back.  To find her out!” they all said.  Nihira’s father looked at the group’s unity proudly.  “That’s good.  Be with her!” he said placing his hand on Nihira’s shoulder.  The group had already started planning for Disha’s stay in the hospital.  Nihira’s mother volunteered to take Dharini to their home but Disha was not sure.  She knew how close the younger sisters were to each other.  Dharini was devastated.  Laxmi bai was taking care of her.  Disha had contacted her Maasi Maa to give her the news.  Anytime she would arrive from Raipur. 

*********   *********   *********

Dhatri was turning in her sleep and the person pinned her to the seat.  They were moving in a SUV comfortably.  Everything had gone according to the plan.  The updates were sent and everything was set for their arrival.  It was in the evening that they reached their first destination.  Dhatri was still under the heavy dose of tranquilizer.  She had not had food in the day.  They had packed some sandwiches and chocolates for her.  But she had not got up.

“I think she is not breathing.  We gave her a heavy dose.” A person sitting by her side said worriedly.  Other person from the front seat bent and signalled the other person.  They SUV stopped.  The person from the front seat got down and opened the hatch.  He looked at Dhatri and kept his hand on her neck feeling for the pulse.

“She will wake up soon.  She is alright...!” he declared getting back to his seat.  The car moved.  They were not talking to each other in their journey.  Everyone seemed to be preoccupied.  Many of them had their headphones on  and listening to something.  A person named Bijoy assumed the responsibility of the kid and was with Dhatri at the back seat.  She was deep in sleep. It was almost 18 hours she was sleeping. 

They had reached their destination in Chandrapur.   She was brought in and was examined by a lady doctor volunteer.  They had a quick meeting to decide further and to give updates to headquarters.  The news was all over the print and media.  Her photo was published.... the Naxals again were succeeded in creating a sensation.  The leader had sent his written statement claiming the responsibility and the demand list against the capitalist Government of India.  Though the hidden agenda was different, the group People War Group had maintained the same facade of maoist communism and justice for common man, professing communism and socialism.   

It was clear who had kidnapped Dhatri.   But why they targeted Dr. Salil Dixit? No one knew.  There were rounds of interrogations and questions to Dr. Salil when he gained his consciousness but he had no clue why they kidnapped Dhatri.  He had no connection what so every with any of the Naxal groups.  The intelligence agencies were puzzled.  Orders were issued to find out everything about Dixit family.  They could find no record except that Dr. Dixit had suddenly decided to quit IIT Delhi and come back to his native.  When asked about this, he said he wanted to come back to his native and got a good offer in the local engineering college.  The statement seemed to be acceptable, apparently.  No one knew the reason behind quitting IIT except Dr. Salil and Nilima.   She was in coma and he was badly injured taking a bullet in the arm.  Police had hit the dead end.  Further digging of buried skeletons was on demand.

Inspector Ramchandra Jhiraa’s eyes fixed on the small box news item published by a local daily news paper where people talked about the incidence giving their own interpretation. 

A friend on Dr. Salil Dixit who worked with him in the college had said that the youngest daughter had some abnormal power to heal people.  “she was wonderful.  She could heal the wound in a jiffy...!” he had said.  Inspector Joshi picked up his cap and headed towards the hospital to meet Dr. Salil Dixit, Dhatri’s father.

********   ******

Ravindra Pratap Sayajirao was pacing the room restlessly.  His cousin had left him behind and gone to meet Disha in the hospital.  He was restless and was agitated to the core.  He wanted to accompany.  He wanted to be with the family.  He felt connected.  He too had endured the grief and bereavement.  His eyes filled with anguish he ran towards the terrace.  His maasi, aunt followed. 

“Ravi, have some breakfast.  Then we will go to the hospital.  We will take some food for them..!” she said holding her nephew’s hand.  He looked up at her with tearful eyes.  “Maasi...!” she pulled him and he hugged her tightly.  She kept stroking his head till he came back to his senses.  He broke apart and wiped his eyes.  She smiled.  “Good boy! Now go get ready.  Have breakfast and we will go!” she said turning and calling the servant to keep the car ready.  Ravindra Pratap ran down to get ready.

**********   ***********

“Awaaaaa....!” she woke up with swollen eyes and opened her mouth loudly looking around at the strange place.  Someone came running with lot of chocolates...

“Shuu... don’t cry! Have this!” he stretched out the bowl and her crying stopped abruptly.  “All?” she asked looking up at the kind face of a uncle like person.  “Humm!” he nodded thrusting the bowl on her lap.  “Have them all!” he said taking a step back sighing.

“You have one!” She was generous enough.  They were not in a jungle what she had thought.  They were in a big room with a cot, a bed, and a TV. 

“TV.... !” she again opened her mouth crying... “Shuuu... Ok!” the man gave up and he switched on the TV.  There was some English lecture going on with a world map behind and she again stomped furiously.

“No... POGO....!” she demanded.  He didn’t know what to do.  He had never heard the TV Channel called Pogo!  She went berserk crying and stomping getting down from the bed.

“Papa... I want Papa...!” she changed her strategy.  “Mamma....!” she missed her mamma in the group of strangers.  A woman came hurriedly in and “You go! I will take care!”

“I want Mamma... Didi....!” she cried out loudly.  “Yeah.  We will send you back. Ok?” the woman was kind enough.  She had a pile of clothes with her.

“First we will get ready!” she said holding out new clothes.  Dhatri looked at them. 

“No..... I want pink frock....My pink frock....!” she again started throwing tantrums.  Another grumpy looking person came in and slapped her.

“Rooni... please... she is a kid...!” the woman tried to shield Dhatri.  Dhatri was scared to the core and fell silent.  She took one of the frock and looked at the man’s frightening face.

“Ok. Wear it!” the woman said and Dhatri pointed at the man.  “Go out!” she ordered and the man turned his back on her.  The woman had a smile on her face.  ‘”Rooni... go out!” she said smiling and he went out.

Part 7

Part  7

“Awnaaaa….!” She opened her mouth crying loudly, holding her breath and went blue.    The person carrying her winced.  

“Bijoy… She is not breathing…!” he said panic-struck and she gasped for breath.  Second round of holding the breath and crying loudly started and the group didn’t know what to do with the kid.  Someone slapped her and she fell silent for a moment.  The group took a sigh of relief moving in a car at the top speed and the next moment, they heard a scream and yelling from the kid.  

“Mamma…. Mamma…. Didi….!”she was screaming at the top of her voice.  A particularly stout person had held her tightly.  Her screams grew louder and louder and the person sitting next slapped her again forcefully.   She fell silent holding her cheek and then came a round of jerks and kicks and louder screams.   Someone pressed his hand on her mouth pinning her down on the person’s laps.  Other took out the syringe and the pricking went on well under her kicking and bashing the person.

She will sleep now…! Someone said and the person took out his hand from her mouth.  She had gone blue holding her breath again.  Another person thumped her back in panic and she exhaled at once.   

“Mamma…. She went on again crying loudly..!” The person on whose laps she was sitting tried to pacify her patting on her head.  He had never handled such a bad kid.  He waited with baited breath for her to fall asleep and she did in few minutes.  She went into a deep sleep and everyone took a sigh of relief.

Mission accomplished! They were successful in taking away the wanted child and were heading towards the headquarters, though they had lost two of their members in the encounter with CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force! ATS, anti terrorist Squad!)

********   ********   ******

The small town of Vidisha stirred with the motorcade and police sirens.  The local news channels rushed to the spot.  The handbills were stuck on every nook and corner of the city proclaiming the kidnapping of the kid for the betterment of poor.  Revolutionary Communist Unity Centre (Maoist naxalites)

 

Lal Jhanda Dal  claimed the responsibility.  This was the first time in vidisha the naxals invaded.   The eastern belt of Madhya Pradesh was already hit by Naxals but the interior parts of MP were very peaceful.  No one knew what was happening around.

Ambulances and para medics too rushed in.  Bullet hit Mrs. Nilima Salil Dixit was taken to the hospital. So was Dr. Salil and Dhyal Chipra, the Gardner.   Laxmi bai was trying hard to console Dharini.  Disha accompanied her parents to the hospital.  They were admitted to Dr. Hari Shankar Memorial Hospital.  Police had surrounded the house completely not allowing anyone in.  

Dharini was in shock unable to speak.  She had never heard or seen gun shots and had never seen the blood shed.  When she saw her father collapsing on the blood soaked body of her unconscious mother she let out a haul and hid her face in Laxmi bai’s shoulder.  No one knew what was happening around.  The neighbours gathered in the night and then someone called police….

**********   *********

They were moving faster on National hightway 86 and had already crossed two toll booths on National highway 86.  By the time the CRPF deduced who was behind, they were heading towards Bandhavghar, their first destination a seven hours journey.  They had to reach Pench the next day, their second hide out and then enter Andhra Pradesh towards their headquarters.   Five  people had done the job.  A job well done! They had the girl with them.  This was the first time they were kidnapping a kid.  They had never done that.  

Till now, they were fighting for their conviction, philosophy, for their rights for poor people.  They called themselves People War Group!  They had never touched common man.  They had their war against the Government, the capitalist Government.  MP was never on their plan.  They operated from Telangana, and the jungles of eastern India belt. 

Even Bukha, their leader was shocked to get the order to kidnap a kid.  That was against their norms.  But he had to execute the orders and had done it.  Why? He didn’t know.  His higher ups issued the orders and he obeyed.  

They had no idea what they were doing kidnapping a five years old girl.  They just wanted to finish off this task and take her to their headquarters in Andhra Pradesh.  

**********   *********  ******

“Disha…!” Bhanu stood before her in the hospital elbowing the crowd, dodging the security.  She looked up.  All her energy had drained out.  She didn’t know where she had left her spectacles, her hair pulled out from her hair band, she looked devastated.  Her mother was critical and her father had just gained consciousness.  Dayal chaha was already discharged with minor injury but was with Disha.  Lurking media was kept at bay.  Police surrounded the hospital too.  There was patrolling on the ICU entrance where Disha’s mother was admitted.

Disha looked up with blank expression.  The night before she was at the top of the world and now she was on the verge of losing her mother, her youngest sister was kidnapped and she had her future in dark.  Bhanu dashed near and held her hand.  She sat on the bench, not knowing what to do.  He didn’t want her to say anything.  He just wanted to be with her.  She trembled and he gripped her hand without a word.  Dayal chacha came limping and sat by her side.  They all were speechless not knowing what to do.  Bhanu had decided to be with her all the time.  He took out his phone to talk to his mother.