On the way to Devdoot from
Silchar Medical College near Commissioner Bungalow, the auto rickshaw I was
boarded on and a bicycle collided. The bicyclist got hurt but he managed to
stand up and went away. My driver was good at heart; he did not run away but
stopped the auto by the side.
By then, one of the traffic
police on duty came running. He took the key and ran after another vehicle. All
passengers left the auto advising him to offer rupees twenty or thirty to the
police.
I thought, why should it
always start in Delhi? Why not at Silchar? I waited by the auto and assured the
driver I was with him. After about 15 minutes, the police came and perused the
license and documents. Suddenly his attention focused on me. He asked the
driver to leave me. ‘This is not my destination. I will travel to Devdoot,’ I
said. The police said he is going to take the auto to the police station. So, I
was compelled to stay back. He seized the documents even he did not find
anything wrong with them.
After about 10 minutes, a
young police man in his thirties came on bike. My driver reached to them who
were about 5 feet away from me. The matter got solved. They returned the key.
Now I ran to them. ‘Why did
you take money from him?’ I charged the policeman. ‘Where did I take money from
him? I did not take any money.’ He said incessantly. ‘Did you give me any
money?’ he asked the driver to prove me wrong. And the driver remained quiet
for a moment. Hurriedly the policeman showed anger and ordered the other fellow
to take the auto to the station.
‘Don’t you people need
witness? I am the witness. I will go with you,’ I said and tried be in the
auto. The police refused to take me and asked to walk to the station if I
wanted.
Everything was happening so
fast that I could not plan the way to catch them. I went to the third police on
duty to ask the name of the police who took the bribe. But unfortunately he
answered, ‘I am here all alone on duty. No one was here.’
I saw no hope and walked towards
my destination. On the way, that police who denied taking me to the station
stopped me and tried to get me in the auto.
For the moment I knew he has had threatened the driver. Now, I denied sitting
in.
After walking a few minutes I
rebound back to teach them a lesson. I got the driver by the side of the road. ‘Why
didn’t you come with me? I was ready to go to the station,’ he said. Anyway, I
was firm while talking to them. Though they took two hundred rupees, I have
learnt something today.’ I felt guilty and replied, ‘sorry I could not trust
you.’
He gave me lift to my
destination. Till now I am feeling guilty but still proud for the small step
against corruption.
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