KARMA
KARMA
I'm back from a long and tiring day. I had travelled almost 700 km to perform the last rites for my grandfather near the banks of Bharathapuzha. With his demise, I'm left with none to care for me. My parents died in an accident in Bangalore when a lorry collided with the car they were traveling. I was just seven year old then. My grandfather and I were left alone and he took me to his ancestral home in Thrissur. None of our relatives were there to help us. Our expenses including that for my education was from my grandfather's pension, he was a retired school headmaster. The only support, which we received, was from our neighbour Thomas Kulimootil and family. Anoop Thomas was infact my classmate and my dearest friend. Shanti aunty also considered me as her son and helped me a lot. The entire family was more than a neighbour to us. Years later Anoop and I joined a law college in Salem district.
Thud!Thud! "You should be tired after the long journey. Take rest after having the food." It was the prison's junior warden. I had gone on parole for my grandfather's cremation. He emptied his tray to my plate and left. I have no company here as I'm placed in a special confinement cell. The reason is simple; I'm convicted for murdering three of my classmates and counting my days.
The first year in college was a nightmare. Ragging was the buzzword and the entire class was scared of the word, "seniors". Though it was fun, sometimes it used to cross limits. I even ran away from the hostel and went back to my home. After a truckload of advices from my grandfather, Thomas uncle and Anoop, I went back again. Second year was fun. I had decided not to pass on the pains to my juniors and infact saved a lot of them from the clutches of my batchmates. But Anoop was on the other side he enjoyed doing it. The room allotted to us had to house four people - Ravi, Sameer, Anoop and I. Midland theatre in Chinnakolapatti was famous for soft porn flicks and my roommates were frequents. Though I was friendly with all, I usually abstained from them when they were on the way to bars or pubs. Things started getting worse. They started drinking in the room too; Anoop didn't heed to my words. Once I was returning from the town, I saw a girl coming out of our room. When I went inside, it was in total chaos. We had a big argument that day and they promised that it'd not be repeated.
One Friday night I had to go to my home, as my grandfather was sick. My roomies had gone to the regular round up at Midland. While returning they saw a girl sleeping in a cot outside her home. They lifted her slowly without any jerk and brought her near our hostel. She was mercilessly raped and killed. Her body was thrown into a dry well nearby. After four days, the villagers found her body and they got a clue that this was done by the college students. Angered by the incident, they came rushing in and injured some of the boys in the hostel. Luckily many of us escaped as we got a hint. When we all came back, the students joined hands and had the village burned out. It took a major toll on the village. Then with the help of the government and some influential people, the matter was sealed up. Tension however still persisted.
I also took up the habit of boozing after the incident. One of the prime areas of my concern was Anoop's involvement in all these filth. I visited the hospital one day and was sickened at the plight of the villagers. Venkat a bright student of our class had lost one of his legs. A week later, we all got together for the weekly booze party - only four of us. When our spirits were on high, Sameer considered the earlier incident as an achievement. The other guys seconded it. This along with my earlier trauma provoked me to hit Sameer and this started out a fight between us. I stabbed all three of them with the broken beer bottle. Anoop and Ravi died on the spot and Sameer on the way to the hospital.
That's the reason I'm here now. My grandfather and some of my friends made me appeal to the High Court and then to the Supreme Court but it was moved away. I accepted the crime and spoke very less in the court. The final judgement was that I killed them because of jealousy and prior-hostility.
"Some visitor has come to meet you." came the junior warden again. It was Shanti aunty. I was totally shaken seeing her. For the first time after all these, I started crying. "Did you do it, Ram? Why?" was her query? "I didn't want to. It all happened...", I told her everything from the scratch. She was also devastated hearing it. She went away without uttering a single word. Next day morning, the jail warden wanted me to sign up some papers. Those were an application for receiving President's pardon. I saw that Thomas uncle undersigned the co-applicant. I didn't want to go for it, as it should get the reward for my deed. My friends got what they deserved for the crime committed and I should get for taking law in my hands. But I still signed it just to keep them happy. Its merely 20 days for my execution.
(20 days later) "I didn't receive any communication." the warden in a soft tone, "So we need to carry on the formalities." The night has arrived and the team came in for my regular health check-up and I'm being taken up to the dreaded place. I came to know that my application was turned down either. Now, I'm unable to visualise anything. I could see some familiar faces - Ravi, Sameer, Anoop, Appa, Amma, Muthachen..........
- Sudhin.
It was all over and next day his body was collected by the Thomas family and was cremated as per his traditions.
*Appa, Amma, Muthachen --> Dad, Mom and Grandpa respectively.
posted by Unknown @ 4:16 AM
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