Posts
Here are three very interesting stories of my father encountered with robbers;
1. With Revati Dacoit: Revati was a local robber from Jhalu- our town and from Padkuwa community ( community goes around begging on Saturdays ). He was very famous for his robbing activities like Sultana Dakoo , robbing from Rich people and helping the poors. He had already declared that no robbers should dare to come our town and rob any one. So, our town was free and safe from any robbery during those days because of him.
We used to go to Dhampur to visit our Buwa ji after Diwali for Bhaiya Dooj. We will start after dinner and after performing Goverdhan pooja, normally about 9; 30 PM to reach Dhampur early in the morning . It used to be by Bullock cart via Navada and Nehtaur . the road was kutcha and sandy, hence the cart would move very slowly and making cracking sounds in the sand..It was perfect dark night and silence all over. After 3 miles or so, before Nevada village, my father noted that some one was following us behind the bushes.This area was known for notorious activities of robbers and criminals. Thinking to scare the follower, my father took out his walking cane and displayed it vertically to give an impression that he had the gun. The person followed us for another half a mile and then stopped us .He saluted my father addressing him as Doctor Sahib ( my father was quite popular for his medical services and respected widely in that region) . He respectfully told that thank God that it was he and could recognize my father but otherwise, with the impression of that gun, his gang member would have shot us and things would have been worst. He further told us that up to Nehtaur, there are so many of his men who are busy for the night activities and it would not be safe for us to travel like this alone. He offered himself and followed us for our safety up to Nehtaur. A lucky escape...
2. With Sher Singh: Sher Singh was most famous robber in the Khadar area of Senadwar, Shekhpuri and beyond. My father and our munim ji and some other assistants used to go every year for the harvest of main crop of wheat in Shekhpuri. April is normally quite hot month . All of them used to stay in our own dera ( a residential compound with a boundary and few huts ) . It had a water well outside for the village people also. It was late night, around 1 AM that my father came out to drink some water and noticed some one with a gun and a horse near the well. Before, my father says anything, he saluted my father and fetched the fresh water from the well for him. He then told that he was like his own son-in-law being the son-in-law of Chobdar ji ( my nana ji was known over there as Chobdar). He then requested my father to follow him on another horse to his camp without any fear. He told him that this night they have special entertainment programme and that my father should join him. My father had no choice, he has to follow him. The camp, deep inside the Khadar (Khadar on the bank of Ganga river has tall weeds up to seven feet tall and quite thick; no one could see any one inside from outside and vice verse ); ..
These are places of hide-outs of these robbers. My father told that it was a grand gala music and dance programme and they felt that my father obliged them by coming there . They respectfully accompanied him back to his summer camp in the village.
An interesting encounter with a wanted criminal and robber.
3. Shyam Singh (Syahma Dakoo); shyam singh and his elder brother were very simple people living in the village. They were very good in their carpentry job , rendering day to day services to the farmers making and repairing their farming equipment. Shyama was very skilled and creative person , In his leisure time he used to make toys for the children like gulli danda, gulels and a few others. He was very affectionate persons and used to love children, will give toys to the children as gifts. Children liked him and used to be around him. He made some kind of small toy gun and gave to the children. the toy was very good , put a small piece of stone or clay and shoot. It could hit the target but with no harm as after all it was a toy only.
It was a nice, simple and poor family . Once a police informer, when he had nothing to inform, informed the police that he has been making guns. Police rounded him, took him , put him in lock-up, grilled him for nothing. No case to prove, after a few days , he came back home but very upset and stressed with the treatment he met from the police. later on several occasions, when ever, there was any crime in the town or nearby villages, he will be rounded up, questioned. Finally, he was implicated for nothing and convicted for the crime he never committed. This continued time to time. He was harassed and finally a simple, honest and nicer person was made a criminal especially by the environment of the prison . He became a most famous and notorious criminal and robber of that time.
Finally, he was convicted for the severe crimes was supposed to be hanged in DehraDun. He was being taken by special police squad in the special train compartment from Bareilly to DehraDun. His gang was very strong and organized. The people of his gang managed in Moradabad to feed the police with intoxicated food . The gang members entered the compartment when the train departed from the station. Police was already under the influence of intoxicated food. The gang cut off the hand cuffs and foot cuffs and jumped out the train along with Shyama.
My father had the revolver as he was allowed to keep it for his personal safety while going to visit the patients in the night within the town and nearby villages. Shyama knew about it. After jumping off the train, he directly came to our house, knocked the door in the middle of the night. My father to his surpise, saw Shyama alone who is asking permission to enter the house. My father knowingly fully well that he is dangerous criminal, had no choice, allowed to get him in. He was in hurry, he explained his story that how he was implicated to be a criminal and as what happened to his family in all these years during his absence ( remaining in jail or committing the crimes, remained absent from his family and the village );
. that his mental set up has changed and he has been transformed to be a criminal by police;
. the informer in the police who implicated him, is responsible to make him a criminal to make my
fate like this; He has no right to remain alive. He was in police security and that he was not able
to eliminate him. Now is the time that he has to do it;
; that during my absence, police has been harassing and torturing my brother for no fault of his own;
. During my absence, my brother-in-law instead of helping my family, took my wife away and sold
her forcibly ( considering that she has no future , one day or the , I will be killed or hanged though
he was right but he had no business to sell my wife ) ; so my brother-in-law and the person who
bought my wife have no right to live. I have to eliminate them;
. The time is limited , police on look out and will find me soon. I need your revolver to do this last
job of my life. I will return the revolver as soon as the job is over. Nothing to worry.
My father assessing the situation, had no option except to hand over the revolver to him and remain silent about it.It was really a testing time for my father.
After two days, he came back again in the middle of the night and gave back the revolver. He narrated the rest of the story like this.;
He went first to his brother-in-law and pardoned him as his sister begged him for her own life and the family and convinced him; He also pardoned the person who bought his wife on the plea of his wife that so much time has already passed and now she has new life and children. For their sake he must pardon them, otherwise also her life in his absence was terrible with poor condition of his family.
Finally, he did eliminated the police informer.
He then asked for a dhoti / rapper; He threw away all his cloths and belongings etc and told that now onward he would live a life of beggar for rest of the life. Otherwise, also very soon, police will find me and shoot me. Pl. give me some food , the first alms to begin with.
He left the house and the town. Later, after a few days, he was killed by the police.
I feel sorry for the person who loved the children and especially me; gave us so much love, affection and toys to play and enjoy. This is the end of the simple man, made criminal by the circumstances.
We missed his love.
1. With Revati Dacoit: Revati was a local robber from Jhalu- our town and from Padkuwa community ( community goes around begging on Saturdays ). He was very famous for his robbing activities like Sultana Dakoo , robbing from Rich people and helping the poors. He had already declared that no robbers should dare to come our town and rob any one. So, our town was free and safe from any robbery during those days because of him.
We used to go to Dhampur to visit our Buwa ji after Diwali for Bhaiya Dooj. We will start after dinner and after performing Goverdhan pooja, normally about 9; 30 PM to reach Dhampur early in the morning . It used to be by Bullock cart via Navada and Nehtaur . the road was kutcha and sandy, hence the cart would move very slowly and making cracking sounds in the sand..It was perfect dark night and silence all over. After 3 miles or so, before Nevada village, my father noted that some one was following us behind the bushes.This area was known for notorious activities of robbers and criminals. Thinking to scare the follower, my father took out his walking cane and displayed it vertically to give an impression that he had the gun. The person followed us for another half a mile and then stopped us .He saluted my father addressing him as Doctor Sahib ( my father was quite popular for his medical services and respected widely in that region) . He respectfully told that thank God that it was he and could recognize my father but otherwise, with the impression of that gun, his gang member would have shot us and things would have been worst. He further told us that up to Nehtaur, there are so many of his men who are busy for the night activities and it would not be safe for us to travel like this alone. He offered himself and followed us for our safety up to Nehtaur. A lucky escape...
2. With Sher Singh: Sher Singh was most famous robber in the Khadar area of Senadwar, Shekhpuri and beyond. My father and our munim ji and some other assistants used to go every year for the harvest of main crop of wheat in Shekhpuri. April is normally quite hot month . All of them used to stay in our own dera ( a residential compound with a boundary and few huts ) . It had a water well outside for the village people also. It was late night, around 1 AM that my father came out to drink some water and noticed some one with a gun and a horse near the well. Before, my father says anything, he saluted my father and fetched the fresh water from the well for him. He then told that he was like his own son-in-law being the son-in-law of Chobdar ji ( my nana ji was known over there as Chobdar). He then requested my father to follow him on another horse to his camp without any fear. He told him that this night they have special entertainment programme and that my father should join him. My father had no choice, he has to follow him. The camp, deep inside the Khadar (Khadar on the bank of Ganga river has tall weeds up to seven feet tall and quite thick; no one could see any one inside from outside and vice verse ); ..
These are places of hide-outs of these robbers. My father told that it was a grand gala music and dance programme and they felt that my father obliged them by coming there . They respectfully accompanied him back to his summer camp in the village.
An interesting encounter with a wanted criminal and robber.
3. Shyam Singh (Syahma Dakoo); shyam singh and his elder brother were very simple people living in the village. They were very good in their carpentry job , rendering day to day services to the farmers making and repairing their farming equipment. Shyama was very skilled and creative person , In his leisure time he used to make toys for the children like gulli danda, gulels and a few others. He was very affectionate persons and used to love children, will give toys to the children as gifts. Children liked him and used to be around him. He made some kind of small toy gun and gave to the children. the toy was very good , put a small piece of stone or clay and shoot. It could hit the target but with no harm as after all it was a toy only.
It was a nice, simple and poor family . Once a police informer, when he had nothing to inform, informed the police that he has been making guns. Police rounded him, took him , put him in lock-up, grilled him for nothing. No case to prove, after a few days , he came back home but very upset and stressed with the treatment he met from the police. later on several occasions, when ever, there was any crime in the town or nearby villages, he will be rounded up, questioned. Finally, he was implicated for nothing and convicted for the crime he never committed. This continued time to time. He was harassed and finally a simple, honest and nicer person was made a criminal especially by the environment of the prison . He became a most famous and notorious criminal and robber of that time.
Finally, he was convicted for the severe crimes was supposed to be hanged in DehraDun. He was being taken by special police squad in the special train compartment from Bareilly to DehraDun. His gang was very strong and organized. The people of his gang managed in Moradabad to feed the police with intoxicated food . The gang members entered the compartment when the train departed from the station. Police was already under the influence of intoxicated food. The gang cut off the hand cuffs and foot cuffs and jumped out the train along with Shyama.
My father had the revolver as he was allowed to keep it for his personal safety while going to visit the patients in the night within the town and nearby villages. Shyama knew about it. After jumping off the train, he directly came to our house, knocked the door in the middle of the night. My father to his surpise, saw Shyama alone who is asking permission to enter the house. My father knowingly fully well that he is dangerous criminal, had no choice, allowed to get him in. He was in hurry, he explained his story that how he was implicated to be a criminal and as what happened to his family in all these years during his absence ( remaining in jail or committing the crimes, remained absent from his family and the village );
. that his mental set up has changed and he has been transformed to be a criminal by police;
. the informer in the police who implicated him, is responsible to make him a criminal to make my
fate like this; He has no right to remain alive. He was in police security and that he was not able
to eliminate him. Now is the time that he has to do it;
; that during my absence, police has been harassing and torturing my brother for no fault of his own;
. During my absence, my brother-in-law instead of helping my family, took my wife away and sold
her forcibly ( considering that she has no future , one day or the , I will be killed or hanged though
he was right but he had no business to sell my wife ) ; so my brother-in-law and the person who
bought my wife have no right to live. I have to eliminate them;
. The time is limited , police on look out and will find me soon. I need your revolver to do this last
job of my life. I will return the revolver as soon as the job is over. Nothing to worry.
My father assessing the situation, had no option except to hand over the revolver to him and remain silent about it.It was really a testing time for my father.
After two days, he came back again in the middle of the night and gave back the revolver. He narrated the rest of the story like this.;
He went first to his brother-in-law and pardoned him as his sister begged him for her own life and the family and convinced him; He also pardoned the person who bought his wife on the plea of his wife that so much time has already passed and now she has new life and children. For their sake he must pardon them, otherwise also her life in his absence was terrible with poor condition of his family.
Finally, he did eliminated the police informer.
He then asked for a dhoti / rapper; He threw away all his cloths and belongings etc and told that now onward he would live a life of beggar for rest of the life. Otherwise, also very soon, police will find me and shoot me. Pl. give me some food , the first alms to begin with.
He left the house and the town. Later, after a few days, he was killed by the police.
I feel sorry for the person who loved the children and especially me; gave us so much love, affection and toys to play and enjoy. This is the end of the simple man, made criminal by the circumstances.
We missed his love.
No comments:
Post a Comment