THE COP AND THE OUTLAW
Sukvinder had made up his mind. Henceforth, he would abdicate
violence. He would give himself up. He was fed up with this life
of blood and gore. Just the other day, quite unwillingly he had to
wipe out an entire family. He was assigned to kill a police officer,
and in order to achieve his end he had to kill the police officer's
son also -- a six-year old boy. He shuddered, as the scene of the incident
floated momentarily before his eyes.
"Hello, Ruhi?"
"Yes"
"This's Sukvinder. How're you?"
"I'm fine. We're all fine. Both your son and your parents are perfectly
okay. We miss you very much. Please come home soon."
Ruhi, Sukvinder's wife, suddenly began sobbing at the other line of the
phone line.
Since last five years, Sukvinder has been on the run. He, along with some
of his friends, has got themselves enmeshed in revolutionary activeties.
They dreamt of a New World Order. A world free of corruption. A new world
where there's no rich or poor. All have equal rights and wealth.
To bring about this change, they're now fighting. They
have to topple the existing machinery. For a greater cause. For posterity.
So they have taken to insurgency. People label them as terrorists. They
consider them as freedom fighters.
Outside the phone booth, it was pouring. Delhi was being
engulfed by the first spell of winter, and the downpour added to the
chilliness.
"Be careful, he shouldn't be aware that we're here. Haven't we surrounded
him from all sides?," Ramanath asked his junior colleague.
Ramanath is a senior officer in the police department. He has spent the
last ten years fighting crooks and criminals. An honest person, he was
highly respected by everyone, especially his juniors. His very name send
shivers down the spine of hardcore criminals. They dread him. He has been
given charge to curb insurgency in and around Delhi.
Ramanath received a phone call this morning. The caller informed Ramanath
that Sukvinder, the fearless outlaw, was seen outside a phone booth just
near his thana. Immediately he arranged his men and surrounded the phone
booth. They left no escape route.
"Sukvinder, surrender yourself. You're surrounded from all sides. You
can't escape" Ramanath hollered.
The phone booth was housed within a small room on the ground floor of
an Apartment building.
"Don't fire, I'll go and talk him to surrender. It would be better if
no bullets are exchanged. One of you come along with me" Ramanath ordered
his men.
Promptly, one police officer came forward. He accompanied Ramanath
who began proceeding towards the booth stealthily.
Sukvinder has heard when Ramanath called out his name. He looked outside.
He instantly knew that all escape routes have been sealed. Damn.
"This time I will be nabbed surely," Sukvinder thought.
"Give yourself up, Sukvinder"
A sound at his back made Sukvinder look back. Then he saw something which
left him speechless.
"Suk.., you?" Ramanath muttered.
Suddenly, Ramanath found himself transported back a decade in time to
his school days. In those days, his best friend was someone called
Sukvinder. Sukvinder was an extremely bright student, and generally
topped in class. He remembered that they were inseparable and have spent
a few happy years together. Then Ramanath's father moved to another
town and he had to leave that school.
Ten years later, Ramanath found no difficulty in recognising Sukvinder.
His appearances has remained much the same. Still pointing his gun
at Sukvinder, Ramanath whispered to his junior officer to go outside
and wait for him there. The officer did as he was told.
In his dingy cell at Central Jail, Ramanath seemed engrossed in deep
thought. He is serving a five year sentence. The thirty-five year old
bachelor was thinking about Sukvinder.
"Did I acted correctly by letting Sukvinder off?. I have betrayed my
Govt. I did it only for his family's sake thinking of his small child.
I'm sure Sukvinder will keep his promise." As these thoughts passed
through his mind, a young Sukvinder floated up before his eyes, and
he even heard Sukvinder say "Thank you."
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