Atanu Ranjan Tripathy

Drama Tragedy

5.0  

Atanu Ranjan Tripathy

Drama Tragedy

In Love Of Humanity And Nature

In Love Of Humanity And Nature

7 mins
478


Men are too often led astray by prejudice. This saying stands good every time, everywhere irrespective of any personality concerned. Man is no doubt a slave of the circumstances. But it is the test of his spirit, character & nature to withstand against the changing situation and against all diversities. But the man who gets trapped in the snares of people who conspire to put him in trouble and then changes his decisions, opinions and act in the most ungainly manner to allow his adversaries get away with the momentum is the man who can be termed as a coward & a man lacking in principle.


On that dreadful night, the moon did not rise till after ten and the sky remained overcast throughout the entire evening. Sandeep left his wife and baby girl at home and left for the station from where he had to receive his childhood friend Sushil. All through his ride on his bike, he thought of the beautiful moments of his childhood & young time that he had enjoyed with Sushil and some of his friends who are now working in different parts of the country in various capacities. While he himself was working as an engineer in a private company Sushil worked as a medical representative in a multinational pharma company. Sushil was tall and handsome and was extremely smart since he came from a well-to-do family. On the contrary, he came from a very poor family and not so good looking.


By his own efforts and determination, he completed his degree in mechanical engineering from a reputed institute. The years he spent in his downtrodden village, in conditions of deprivation are still very much fresh in his mind. He couldn't rise further and couldn't further his achievements in the field of education is undoubtedly linked to poverty since his father was a primary school teacher and there were five more people in the family excluding him who depended on the meagre income of his father. He had to borrow money from Sushil and some other friends to pay for his school & college dues. Sushil was his most benevolent benefactor who contributed almost every time to his needs. And therefore he was very much indebted to Sushil. But on the other hand, Sushil always told him to forget all these as a part of their friendly dealings. He often said, "Time we live ought not to be computed by the number of years, but by using that has been made of them. Likewise, the money, that has been lying unused in my father's chest is coming to use for a noble purpose." 


However, the situation has changed drastically since he started working as an engineer in an overseas company and then in the last few years that he has been serving in the present company. When he had progressed financially continuously over the past there has been a steady downfall in Sushil's finance. His father lost a huge amount of money in legal battles against another landlord for a big piece of land that both claimed to be theirs. Then Sushil's mother suffered from cancer and his father had to sell most of his landed properties to fulfil a large amount of money spent on her treatment. Finally, she succumbed to the disease but not before the entire family was drastically ruined. On every such occasion whenever Sushil needed any financial assistance Sandeep eagerly cooperated and never asked if the money was spent for a justifiable purpose or not. This process continued for nearly a decade until Sushil got a job and started to earn his own living. 


But then the situation changed again as Sushil fell in love with a rich girl. The girl enjoyed a luxurious life and despite her father's lavish spending on her, she always tried to suck money from Sushil on a regular basis. And soon Sushil was reeling under financial distress. Though he had already taken more money from Sandeep that he had lent to him but had no other option but to beg for some more money to handle his mounting loans. Sandeep, though under pressure himself to maintain his wife and young school-going daughter, couldn't refuse. But how long could this continue?

Consequently, a time came when Sandeep had to refuse to pay any more money ( under pressure of his wife) showing different reasons for his inability. And the friendship which used to be an example for several friends who only were mere representations of any such camaraderie now turned out to be a laughing stock of the entire locality. A strong wall of difference now stood between the two friends. The friends who thrived to meet each other on every limited opportunity were now forced to avoid each other.


Now the same friend Sushil is coming to meet him after a gap of two years. So what is his motive? How could he forget the past incident when Sandeep refused to lend him more money? All these questions ran through his mind when he reached the station to receive his friend. He looked around the platform to find his friend. But he couldn't see him anywhere. The mobile message he received two days back clearly indicated the exact time and the name of the train. Hence he had made no mistake in coming just in time for the Lokamanya Tilak express, traveling from Bhubaneswar to Mumbai. That was the train his friend had categorically mentioned in his text message. He has reached the station just in time at quarter to 11 pm. So where was Sushil? He once again looked around the platform and then the entire station to make sure that he had done a thorough inspection. But no trace of Sushil anywhere. Dejected and disappointed he was thinking of going back when there was a public announcement by the station authorities that a dead body has been recovered from one of the compartments by the railway police.


The face and most of the body parts have been disfigured and mutilated by a sharp, heavy weapon. However, from the documents and the wallet of the deceased, it could be known that the man was Sushil Pradhan and he worked in a pharma company. There was a letter addressed to a friend called Sandeep in which the dead man had promised to pay back his entire loan as soon as possible after his marriage to a lady called Sushma. And the marriage is scheduled to be arranged on the 15th of the same month. An invitation card was also there in his briefcase that was lying open near his body. Sandeep heard the announcement but couldn't believe his ears. He could feel his feet sinking deep into the earth and the entire world had stopped around his feet. He couldn't know when or how he went to the GRP police station and identified himself as Sandeep. The moment the police constable removed the white cloth from above the corpse he nearly collapsed on the floor. After the timely help from some policemen, he got back his sense and recognised the body.


A few days passed. A police investigation was ordered to find out the exact cause of death since the initial investigation clearly indicated for a murder. Then what was the motive behind the crime? Since the man was under a lot of financial burdens it was very much likely that he would not be carrying a lot of money with him. Though he was well dressed and it could have drawn the attention of the assassin but it could never be conclusive reasoning. So what could be the reason behind the crime if it was a murder? The police investigation still continues to date.


But life has changed completely for Sandeep since that day on which he saw his best friend for the last time. He has forgotten smiling altogether even though his finances have swelled remarkably since his refusal to lend some money to his now departed friend. Time has its usual passage. Money comes and goes. But the man whether a friend or an enemy never reappear once he leaves this world. Sandeep still recalls the early days of their friendship when they secretly used to meet each other at late hours every day.


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