ExpertDabbler

Folks, another kutti story. will be done with in 2/3 posts in total. More on this story later.

Dec 06th, 2005. 12:45 Noon

It was a cloudy tuesday. Train number 2675 Kovai express should’ve reached Tiruppur by this time under normal circumstances. But that was not to be. It did not go beyond an unmanned level crossing 15km after Arakkonam Jn. The entire area has been cordoned off. No train would cross that spot for the next 24 hours, it has been announced.

A stretch of 5 km either side of the spot had been invaded by police – both Railways and Law and Order. The trackmen had been suspended and taken into custody for questioning. The Chief General Manager of Southern Railway would be visiting anytime. There were talks that the Minister of State for Railways might come along too.

Two police officers were talking to one another.

“En service la ethanayo parthirukken, ana idhu …..”

“Ivanugalai ellam suttu kollanum sir, konna ivanuga supporta pesaradhukku, “Manidha Urimai Meeral” nu kathradhukku oru goshti irukkum. Idhai plan panravanga ellam Manushangala Sir? Enna oru arakathanam!….” he was fuming.

Dec 05th, 2005 11 PM.

Saleem was an agitated man. He could not sleep no matter how much ever tried. This was the day when he ran away from home exactly a year after the Masjid demolition. In these 12 years, he has grown up from a cute looking 12th std boy to a handsome man. He has crossed the border several times, had undergone training in camps across LoC, has been subjected to teachings about the shortest way to reach God, and now a member of a feared terror outfit.

He was a very intelligent kid at school, but now that intelligence has been directed to make bombs and kill in the name of religion. But what he was about to do the next day disturbed even a person as heartless as Saleem.

The task was simple. 2675 Kovai express bound for Coimbatore has to be blown away into pieces.

Saleem is not a conscientious, rational, 29 yr old man anymore. Killing VIPs, kidnapping them and releasing in exchange of dreaded terrorists, he has done it all. All the teachings in the training camps had helped him overcome the guilt so far. But tomorrow’s task was too daunting even for him emotionally. He doubted if he could ever remain sane if he did what has been told - Kill thousands of innocent train passengers.

This was supposed to be executed by Amir, another member of the squad. But Amir, wanted in relation to so many incidents has gone into hiding. Saleem had been entrusted with this task at the last minute.

His heart sank lower when he got the info that the driver for tomorrow’s Kovai Express was his own Vaapa, Akbar Bhai. The respected senior train driver, the epitome of integrity and sincerity.

He could not imagine doing what he has been asked to do tomorrow. But then he cannot violate the command of his group chief. He cannot go and say, ‘I am not going to do this’.

Saleem would be history if he says that.The operation has been planned for a few weeks but discretion was maintained. He was revealed about the plan only yesterday.

On the other hand, It was sheer accident that the scheduled driver took leave in short notice and Akbar bhai had to be in charge. Saleem had his own sources to update him. Perhaps all this coincidences are to stop this from happening. If God’s will is to prevent that, it shall be prevented, he thought.

He sat down and thought about the possible scenarios.

What if he informed his parents right away? That would be far too easy to catch. His vaapa, the epitome of integrity that he is, would soon inform his higher-ups. That would mean the train getting delayed, intense combing operations, heavy track surveillance. Which in turn would annoy his group leader. They would then investigate as to who leaked the information, who is related to who and after that its all over for Saleem.

No, this conspiracy had to be foiled, but should be made to look like a failure at the last moment.

He thought over each and every detail, then sat silent for a few minutes. He was a determined man when he went to bed.

This entry was posted on Saturday, November 26th, 2005 at 8:37 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.