Selective Justice?

She ran into the police station.It was a damp cold night. There was no one in the road other than some urchins who were busy playing thier own game of

hide and seek. The others with their face and ears closely covered with heavy shawls, had no time to look around. On such a night,Sophia , who was sixteen,

was waiting outside the railway station for her father to return from office when she saw it happen.

With winter garments hugging her tightly,Sophia was waiting at a closed tea stall. Every night, she would wait for her father's returning footsteps at the stall.

She did not care whether it was winter or monsoon. Waiting became a habit. Her mother often chided her and warned her about the dangers at night in the roads,

but she would not listen.

The place was more quiet than usual. Perhaps the cold kept everyone in the cozy corner of their houses.The silence surprised Sphia very much.

But,not quite.

A car came rushing from somewhere and the silence of the place was totally disturbed. Sophia would not have cared if she did not hear the shrieking of a baby.

It made her follow the noise and there it was : A baby was helplessly crying in pain, the car had knocked him down. But it was all over in a few minutes.

The road was red with blood. Sophia ran behind the car but it was faster and more powerful.

Sophia,helpless, ran to the nearest police station for help. Seeing the constable dozing made her purple. She woke an officer up.

"Sir, a car has ruthlessly knocked down a baby near Ma Tara tea stall.Please cpme with me,"she said.

"What ? At this hour ? Was the baby alone ?"

"Yes , sir."

"My God! How old would the baby be ?"

"Roughly 3 months sir,please come fast."

"A baby of three months alone on the road at 11 o'clock at night? Are you sure you saw the right thing , girl?"

"Yes sir. The baby is always alone. I see him almost every night. I even offer him biscuits at times."

This made the officer's eyebrows raise a little. How can a baby of three months be all alone at night? Is the girl playing fool with the police and wasting their time?

But her face is marred with genuine fear.

"Did no one else see it happen?"

"Sir are you not believing me? No one else CARED."

"Not that but..."

"Sir , please come fast."

The officer took out his jeep and went to the place with Sophia.He saw the road covered with blood. A baby,as if it was peacefully asleep , was lying in the midst

of all the blood. The officer stood dumbstruck."

"The car did not even horn once , sir. How can people be so ruthless?"

"You came here to show me this,girl?"

"Yes sir"

"Where do you stay,child?"

"Just on the next lane sir, why?"

"Come, I'll drop you."

"But the baby...."

"Dont worry, let me drop you home first."

When they reached Sophia's house,her mother came running out, flying at a rage for Sophia being so late. She was, however, surprised to find her escorted by an

officer.

"Is there anything wrong,sir?"

"Girl, you go inside and sleep. I have to talk to your mother."

Sophia obeyed.

"Ma'am why do you let your daughter be out at night ? You know she is---"

"She wouldn't lisren to me sir. I am not her mother by the way. I am her nanny. Come inside please."

The house was dimly lighted. The police officer sat down,drinking water.

"Actually sir, three years ago,Sophia's mother appointed me as a maid. They had such a big house", she tried to show with her hands," But as ill-luck would have it,

as they were returning from a neighbourhood house,a car knocked her father down. He died on spot! Her mother ran behind the car but one of the men in the car

threw her in the drain. She noted down the car's no. too,sir,like a brave girl. But alas! since the car belonged to someone of high authority,the crime was pardoned

without delay. Her mother died in comma after seven days.Since then, I take care of her , sir. Sophia beti has some mental illness, I cannot tell much sir.

I am not educated. Her uncle comes at times to take her for checkups-All show off , sir! They divided Sophia's father's property among themselves and

wanted to keep her at some mental asylum or any orphanage. I forcefully kept her with myself. They were glad they did not have to pay for her."

The officer suppressed a sob.

"Her father used to return from his office in the last mail,sir. Sophia goes at the station every night in the hope of her father to return."

The nanny broke down. Wiping her tears in her saree, she finally asked, "But why are you here sir? Is there something wrong?

"Nothing. I must go now."

When he was returning to the police station, he passed the blood stained road. There, a baby dog was lying dead, mercilessly run down by a car.

"What a system of selective justice we have!" he thought.