(My first encounter with the boastful army inside the train)
It was in 2001 December, I went inside the general compartment from Pune railway station to Delhi-Nizamuddin. I got a seat/berth on the left side facing with another man who is also going to Delhi.
As I was alone and was feeling bored.
I took out the newspaper and read but finished reading Times, Express and Maharastra Herald after 2-3 hours. I still felt bored.
When I reached Bhopal, the train stopped for 30 minutes.
There one lady and 3 guys in army dress boarded the train into the same compartment as I was travelling.
A tall guy in army dress told me, "I am army officer and give me your seat" he said in Hindi.
Another person who was traveling with him also said,
"He is an army officer. Give him the seat"
A sudden thought came to me; if he is an army officer, he will not travel in general compartment (2nd class).
Then I said,
"If you are an army officer, show me your identity card and I will give my seat". I told him in English. It seems he does not know English properly.
He did not say anything and went to sit in the corner with some other passengers.
After 3 hours boarding from Bhopal, he and one of his friends got down from the train.
I felt happier as I reach nearer to Delhi. There was another army and his wife going to Jammu and Kashmir.
When the train reached Nizamuddin (Delhi), I asked him,
"What did you said to me in Bhopal? I have told my friends to bring a car so that we will go for sightseeing in Delhi and they are bringing car for you"
Then I pulled his hand and urged him to come down.
His wife asked me, "What happened?"
I told her, "Ask him what he said to me in Bhopal?"
Then I tugged him again on his hands to follow me. Then the lady began to cry.
I was just trying to threaten him because he was boasting that he is an army. But he was afraid to come down from the train.
And his wife started crying and begging me to forgive him.
I did not do any harm. But I strongly warned him not to do such an act again and not to boast in front of the civilians.
to be Continued....
* R.B. Thohe Pou , contributes to e-pao.net regularly.
The writer can be contacted at thohepou(at)rediffmail(dot)com .
This article was webcasted on July 24th, 2007.
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