After being in US for many years,we tend to forget that there are some things that can
only be experienced in India.
Three days back,at around 7 pm,we were at home relaxing.
Suddenly,we heard a loud THUD outside.We ran out and saw a kid aged about 20,
had come speeding on his motorbike,and hit my sister's car parked outside,head on.
He had gone flying in the air and fallen about 15 ft away,his motorbike broken,his head
split and bleeding.
The side of our car was completely smashed,headlights shattered.
In India,it does not take long for a crowd to gather.
My family,our neighbours,other 20 year old friends of the guy who had hit our car,and
other curious onlookers were all in front of our house.
The friends dragged the guy and made him sit on the curb,blood pouring onto his face.
I ran in and brought a wet towel to wipe off the blood,and a bottle of water for him to drink.
The guy was drunk and stinking of booze.
We decided this was a police case and should not touch the car or the motorcycle until the police
arrives.
My dad immediately dialed 100(police).Nobody answered.
He called another local police number.Nobody answered.
We did not know where to contact for an ambulance.
Finally we called an auto and some guy took the fellow to the hospital.
My cousin ran to the main road and told the traffic police.The policeman was not bothered.
He said he was not going to get involved!
One of the guy's friends came up and requested not to book a case against the guy.
Instead,they will get our car fixed no matter how much it costs.
These were young,jobless guys from the slums.There was no way they would have any
money to get our car repaired.
But my sister was adamant.She got a guy to pick up the motorbike and keep it inside our garage
and said she will not return it until she gets paid for the damages.
There was a lot of back and forth,all kinds of suggestions from the neighbours,yelling,
shouting,what should be done to the guy ,etc.
Once the heat of the event cooled off,one by one ,slowly ,the crowd started thinning and only
the relevant ones stayed back,which was us!!
An hour later,a fellow came.He said he was the guy's brother.
He came to tell us that his brother is a kid,he should be forgiven that he rode the bike drunk.
My sister was upset and was not ready to let him go that easily.
She gave him the lecture of what if there was a person standing instead of the car,
how did anybody allow him to ride drunk,that she was not going to pay for his foolish behaviour,etc..
The guy who had come listened to my sister and he started his way of dealing.
He started throwing in his cards,saying he knows the leader of some SC/ST(schedule caste/schedule tribe),so in fact, he was going to file a case against us!
Then he started throwing names of local politicians,local goondas,and other big names.
The guy wouldn't stop dialing numbers on his cell phone..he kept talking to somebody the entire time.
Finally,my dad called my sister inside and said there is nothing we can do.
We have to return the bike to the guy and also should not talk about him paying for our car.
We let the guy take the bike.
I was just watching this whole thing unfold and realised how much control these uneducated,
low level rowdies have.
Educated,decent people have to be very afraid and live in fear of these people.
I also learnt that there is nothing called fairness here.
If anything happens to us ,any loss of life,limb,or anything else,the attitude is ,well,too bad.!
Nobody will take responsibility for anything.
Police is of no use.Nobody is afraid of them.
Its what we call AAJ KA GOONDARAJ..
Goons rule.
The funny thing is, yesterday evening,I see a guy slowly walking in front of my house.
He was wearing a cap.I realised it was the same guy who had hit our car after drinking like
crazy!!
only be experienced in India.
Three days back,at around 7 pm,we were at home relaxing.
Suddenly,we heard a loud THUD outside.We ran out and saw a kid aged about 20,
had come speeding on his motorbike,and hit my sister's car parked outside,head on.
He had gone flying in the air and fallen about 15 ft away,his motorbike broken,his head
split and bleeding.
The side of our car was completely smashed,headlights shattered.
In India,it does not take long for a crowd to gather.
My family,our neighbours,other 20 year old friends of the guy who had hit our car,and
other curious onlookers were all in front of our house.
The friends dragged the guy and made him sit on the curb,blood pouring onto his face.
I ran in and brought a wet towel to wipe off the blood,and a bottle of water for him to drink.
The guy was drunk and stinking of booze.
We decided this was a police case and should not touch the car or the motorcycle until the police
arrives.
My dad immediately dialed 100(police).Nobody answered.
He called another local police number.Nobody answered.
We did not know where to contact for an ambulance.
Finally we called an auto and some guy took the fellow to the hospital.
My cousin ran to the main road and told the traffic police.The policeman was not bothered.
He said he was not going to get involved!
One of the guy's friends came up and requested not to book a case against the guy.
Instead,they will get our car fixed no matter how much it costs.
These were young,jobless guys from the slums.There was no way they would have any
money to get our car repaired.
But my sister was adamant.She got a guy to pick up the motorbike and keep it inside our garage
and said she will not return it until she gets paid for the damages.
There was a lot of back and forth,all kinds of suggestions from the neighbours,yelling,
shouting,what should be done to the guy ,etc.
Once the heat of the event cooled off,one by one ,slowly ,the crowd started thinning and only
the relevant ones stayed back,which was us!!
An hour later,a fellow came.He said he was the guy's brother.
He came to tell us that his brother is a kid,he should be forgiven that he rode the bike drunk.
My sister was upset and was not ready to let him go that easily.
She gave him the lecture of what if there was a person standing instead of the car,
how did anybody allow him to ride drunk,that she was not going to pay for his foolish behaviour,etc..
The guy who had come listened to my sister and he started his way of dealing.
He started throwing in his cards,saying he knows the leader of some SC/ST(schedule caste/schedule tribe),so in fact, he was going to file a case against us!
Then he started throwing names of local politicians,local goondas,and other big names.
The guy wouldn't stop dialing numbers on his cell phone..he kept talking to somebody the entire time.
Finally,my dad called my sister inside and said there is nothing we can do.
We have to return the bike to the guy and also should not talk about him paying for our car.
We let the guy take the bike.
I was just watching this whole thing unfold and realised how much control these uneducated,
low level rowdies have.
Educated,decent people have to be very afraid and live in fear of these people.
I also learnt that there is nothing called fairness here.
If anything happens to us ,any loss of life,limb,or anything else,the attitude is ,well,too bad.!
Nobody will take responsibility for anything.
Police is of no use.Nobody is afraid of them.
Its what we call AAJ KA GOONDARAJ..
Goons rule.
The funny thing is, yesterday evening,I see a guy slowly walking in front of my house.
He was wearing a cap.I realised it was the same guy who had hit our car after drinking like
crazy!!
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