An afraid night @ Bangalore

Lady attacked at ATM counter in the morning; a guy got robbed in the mid night; these kinds of news are familiar for a Bangalorian. But it bothered me when my friend became a victim. He got robbed last week in the Garden city of India.

            A Year back we heard similar news happened in other cities. Now it is in our city and then to our friends/ relatives. Yes! the day is not so far when you and I will be a part of the news. All these news leads to an unsecure Bangalore. After all we don’t know who is good, who is bad. If you are alone you should worry about yourself.

This is my experience about the journey in a mid night

A Sudden wake up from my sleep; I was sitting in the window seat of a bus, Some Kannada Movie was playing; I just looked outside through the window. I could see the Reliance Jewelers – Yes, it’s near to our office! We are about to reach; my watch showed 1 am.

            We went to Ooty for an adventure trip; we started last Friday night, after 2 joyful days we are back in Bangalore. Now we are in the same place where we started our journey before 48 hours.  

I got down with my wet jacket and a small bag- filled with my cloths drenched in rain. All the members in bus followed me to office. It is Sunday night; ohhh! Sorry Monday morning, there were no cabs. Most of them had kept their vehicle in the office before we left, some among us who didn’t have vehicle managed to get lift from them. I had to go to Indiranagar and no one in our team had to come my way. As time passed, count of people came down.

I saw an Auto parked in front of the gate, I went towards it, the Auto driver was in a Black jacket, the cigarette in his hand was about to die. I asked him for the fare to Indiranagar, he said “200Rs”’ – this is more than double of actual fair – still I agreed to go because I wanted to reach home soon, somehow.

I came back to rest of the people who were planning to go; Ramanitharan – My colleague [we call him Ramani] told me that going alone in Auto is really risky in midnight- But I didn’t have another choice. So I told him there is nothing to worry and left the place, wishing happy journey and sweet dreams to everyone.

I and my auto driver started the journey – The words which Ramani told me were still running in my mind. So I closely watched each movement of Driver as well as the route. We entered Sent mark road, now comes Anil Kumble Circle signal where we need to take a right [or that was the only way I know].

            Unfortunately the same thing happened, of what I was worried in last few minutes. He took the auto straight towards the darkness. I was losing my breath, felt my story is going to end–I was in a trap, didn't know what to do; “if I keep my mouth shut next day I will be breaking NEWS for Bangalore Mirror”. I felt like jumping out of the auto, I held my jacket tightly. At last I broke my silence and shouted to the Auto driver.

“Bayya ye kyahai ? , Indiranagar ko right Jana Padegena ? ….” – with my half boiled Hindi I expressed my fear.

He replied: “Wo , One way hai, yeseethajasaktha..”

“Nahi, mujhe malum hai, vo route men hi janapadegaaaa …”I told him by leading my finger towards my road – My voice broke somewhere in the middle of the conversation which showed how scared I was.

I couldn’t see the road in front of me; it was really dark. He took a 'U' turn from next junction and came back to that way I told him. And we continued the journey towards Indiranagar.

           I was still afraid, didn’t know what he had planned for me, my trust on him had lost. Lots of stories which I heard from my friends came in to my mind. Each crowd beside the road we passed felt like people who are waiting to trap me. Whenever he applied breaks and while going through the lonely places made me feel like he was going to apply his plan on me.

            I wanted to call someone and talk something, to make myself comfortable. But in that midnight no one would be there to pick my call. I just wanted to ask him something about his family to reduce my tension, but my voice stuck somewhere in my throat.

            After Halsoor Metro Station- the station just before Indiranagar, he took his mobile and called someone, now we are just 1 km far from my Home. But still he can do something. That moment I took my mobile and called my roommate and told him that I am about to reach.

          

 I told the auto driver to turn right and go straight, I didn’t feel to keep the auto driver wait at least for a second, so I took money from my pocket. Now we were near my Home, I told him to stop the vehicle, I got down from the Auto and gave the money and said Thanks and walked away from him.

While walking to Home I was thinking about the Auto driver, is he a good person? Till this moment I don’t know, probably the answer is yes. The half hour I spend inside the Auto was horrible. We can’t trust even those people who smiles to us. The city has turned like that.

            I wrote this story because I reached safely, or in other words I escaped from a trap. This is not just a fear of an individual. Everyone who is alone in the city may face similar situations. I don’t want to blame anyone, but wanted this city to be safe like our home.