The Narayanpur Incident by Shashi Deshpande

Author:Shashi Deshpande [Deshpande, Shashi]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9789351181255
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Published: 2015-07-17T00:00:00+00:00

‘Let’s go out and ask that patil chap,’ Vasant suggested. ‘He only wants a chance to yap yap anyway. Once, when there was no one he could talk to, he was found talking to a tree.’

‘I don’t believe it,’ Manju replied instantly.

‘Ask anyone if you think I’m lying. Ask my mother.’

‘And in the meantime, the police-patil will get away,’ Babu said impatiently. At which point they rushed out hastily.

The police-patil was ready to leave, one leg flung over his bike, one still on the ground. Seeing them he got off and it was nearly half an hour before he got on again. By which time the children knew in full detail what had happened. The telegraph wires had been cut in Sannur and the Sub-Inspector had told the police-patil to arrest the men responsible.

‘What does he think, eh, that the men are still there, waiting for me to go and arrest them, eh?’ He chuckled at his own wit and then went on more seriously. ‘I know one of the men who must have been in it. He’s got to be involved in this thing.’

‘Who?’ three voices asked.

‘Aaaaaaah!’ What a sound that was! ‘That’s a question which won’t get an answer that easily. Just you wait and see the fun. He’ll be sorry he ever insulted me,’ he said mysteriously and chuckling again at something, he rode off.

‘I wonder who he means,’ Vasant said, chewing his lips thoughtfully.

‘No point in playing guessing games,’ Babu replied indifferently.

‘But Babu, if we know the person and . . . .’ And suddenly

Vasant clicked his fingers in a series of triumphant clicks. ‘I know. I KNOW.’ His whole face was shining with triumph. He looked expectantly at the others, obviously waiting for the question which promptly came.

‘Who?’

‘It’s Bhima. Bhima of the gymnasium.’

Babu knew the man he meant. There were very few people, if there were any at all, who didn’t know him. Bhima was not his real name. What it was, perhaps everyone, including Bhima himself, had forgotten now. He became Bhima when he was a child because of his size and enormous strength. Now he ran a gymnasium where young men came to wrestle, and younger boys for body building.

‘This patil had a quarrel with Bhima once. I don’t remember why, but the patil is supposed to have gone to Bhima’s gymnasium to complain. And Bhima didn’t say a word. He just picked the patil up as if he were a sack of onions or something, carried him all the way to the end of the lane, dumped him there without a word, and calmly walked away.’

Manju and Babu laughed heartily, now understanding why the patil had chuckled so gleefully at the thought of getting Bhima into trouble.

‘Let’s go and warn Bhima,’ Manju said impetuously.

‘Now? Not a chance! Almost dinner time now and I wouldn’t like to give Ajja a reply when he asks us where we have been.’

Suddenly, there was Annu-kaka’s voice asking, ‘And what are you all doing here?’

Vasant nearly jumped out of his skin, biting his tongue so hard that tears came into his eyes.

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