ਰਹਿਣੀਰਹੈਸੋਈਸਿਖਮੇਰਾ॥ ਓੁਹਸਾਹਿਬਮੈਉਸਕਾਚੇਰਾ॥

Akal Purakh Kee Rachha Hamnai, SarbLoh Dee Racchia Hamanai


    View Post Listing    |    Search    



Bhai Jinda's Great Escape CONCLUSION: Home Free
Posted by: Sardar Singh (IP Logged)
Date: October 26, 2007 12:47PM

continued from [www.tapoban.org]

Bhai Jinda's Great Escape CONCLUSION: Home Free
By Bhai Harjinder Singh Jinda

http://neverforget84.com/MultiMedia/gallery/albums/Jinda-Sukha/Bhai%20Harjinder%20Singh%20Jinda-07.jpg

Baroda

So moving very carefully, I managed to make my way to Baroda. Baroda is about 100km from Ahemdabad. The town also had some distant relatives of mine. I thought I could get some money from them and make my way to Delhi.

When we had robbed the Government Bank at Ahemdabad, we had stayed with these relatives but at that time, they had no idea that we had just robbed the bank and so they served us quite a bit. But on this day, when I arrived at my relatives’ house, everything had changed. When I went to their door, the family’s daughter was standing there. I made up some story to explain my circumstances and said, “I need Rs. 100 for the fare…”

She replied, “Brother, go from here. The police is about to come…”

I understood that they knew everything now. I left but then thought of something and returned. By this time the mother had also arrived. I was very cold and had a fever. When I came near, even before I could say anything they began to say, “Go away. The police is going to come. Why do you want to have us killed?”

I said, “If you can’t give me Rs. 100 then at least give me some old sheet that I can cover myself in. I’m very cold.” But they didn’t give me anything. With folded hands they kept saying “go away…”

I understood that they were too afraid that if the police found out, they would be in trouble.

The Marwari Trucker

I didn’t waste any more time and left. I saw some trucks stopped at a Dhaba (roadside restaurant) and walked there. With complete confidence I made up a story and began to talk with a truck driver. I told him, “I am going to Delhi but I have no money. But if I get there, I can give even Rs. 1000.”

He listed to me very carefully and kept trying to read my face. He replied, “We live in this city and are going to Junagarh.”

Regardless, with my talking I managed to create a friendly atmosphere. I made up a lot of things and talking about this and that managed to create some sympathy for myself.

I said, “My brother abandoned me in Ahmedabad because I went to see a movie. He told the other truck drivers that they should not give me any help. Then I came to Baroda because I have some relatives here but they are gone to Delhi and their house is locked.”

The truck driver was of the Marwari community. He was pretty influenced by me and said, “Don’t worry. We’ll arrange for you to go to Delhi.”

He looked around and then said, “how much is the train fare to Delhi?”

I replied, “I don’t need the fare. Just ask some truck driver to take me and I’ll pay him back once I’m in Delhi.”

The truck driver now began to treat me like a friend and said, “first eat something then we’ll ask some truck driver about going to Delhi.”

He paid for my food and then gave me Rs. 100. I superficially made a show of refusing but I knew I should take it because it would become necessary to have some money. So I accepted his money and noted his address so I could send him a money order from Delhi.

The truck driver put me on another truck that was going to Udaipur. I thanked God because no one gives anyone even Rs. 5 and despite my ripped clothes (and appearance of poverty) someone had given me Rs. 100 which I hadn’t even dreamed of.

I was sitting very alertly in the truck because I knew that escaping from the police is only 10% of an escape. An escape is only complete when one successfully goes through the searches and checkpoints they have set up to look for you on your way.

Train to Delhi

When we reached Udaipur, I gave the driver some money and went to the train station to catch a train. I knew that after an escape, the most checking is done at railway stations and bus stations, but I had to take the risk. I carefully purchased a ticked and then left the station because I thought that there could be CID (intelligence officers) present. When it became time for the train to leave, I went back to the station and got on the train. I picked an upper seat [in Indian ‘sleeper’ trains, there are long flat seats that can serve as beds. They are like bunk beds with one on top and one on the bottom.] The train left. I lay down for some time then I was about to come down to get a drink of water when I saw something that gave me a shock.

The person sitting on the seat below me was reading a newspaper and the paper had the news of my escape as well as a large photo of me. I turned over and lay down again.

Home

I decided to get off a few stations before the main New Delhi station because I thought there might be police looking for me there. Upon reaching Delhi, I went to my relatives in Gobindpuri where we had stayed for a long time and they had shown us a lot of love and even after my capture, this hideout hadn’t been discovered.

On the other side, Veer Nirmal Singh had come to meet me in Ahemdabad jail but found out I had escaped so he too arrived at Gobindpuri. From there, we took a night bus and arrived in the morning at Amritsar and met our beloved brother Mathra Singh (Shahid).

Mathra Singh hugged me tightly and tears of love were falling from his eyes. My cousin, Baljinder Singh Raju [also a Jujharu] also met us in Amritsar and was overjoyed.

-end-

 





© 2007-2024 Gurdwara Tapoban Sahib