EPISODE-32

 

"Aaj ka poora din waste ho gaya. Abhi tak humne Bhaiyya ko dhoondhna bhi shuru nahin kya hai."

"To ek kaam karte hain. Surrender kar dete hain. Phir yahaan ki army ke log pehle Navin ko dhoondh lenge aur phir khud humein us tak pahuncha denge."

"Bad joke Raj." She was enraged.

"I know. But can't you just stop cribbing. And you really think aaj ka poora din waste ho gaya hai. Hum sahi salaamat Wazirabad se nikal gaye, yeh bahut badi baat hai. I hope you realize ki Navin tak pahunchne ke liye hamara khud ka safe and more importantly single-piece rehna zaroori hai."

"I guess you are right. But mujhe Bhaiyya ki fikr ho rahi hai."

"Mujhe bhi Naina, lekin iska matlab yeh nahin hai ki hum impatient hoke koi impulsive aur irresponsible kaam karein. We need to be very careful."

 

Naina and Rajveer had reached Chak Amru. But by the time they reached, it was late in the evening. Being a very small town there were very few people outside their homes after dark. The roads were almost deserted by 9 pm. So Rajveer decided to stay back overnight. They checked in into a small hotel that was almost outside the town. This time Rajveer had disguised himself as an middle-aged man 'Mushtaq Ahmed'. And Naina was still behind that veil.

 

"So kal hum Posrur ke liye nikal rahe hain."

"Nahin. Usse pehle humein forest area check out karna hai. We need to know if Army is still looking for him."

"Hmmmmm......."

 

Next morning they set out sharp at 0500 hours. They hired a car and Rajveer drove it towards the forest. On the way while they were crossing the Posrur area they saw the army people in the village. They were making enquiries. Rajveer didn't stop the car but didn't go to the forest area either. He drove towards Narowal. A little before the village he stopped the car and they headed for the the village on their feet. There also it was a similar scene- Army people making the enquiries.

 

A big smile came on Rajveer's face and he looked relieved. He turned to Naina.

"Congratulations."

Naina also realized what all they saw meant. She was also happy and was almost jumping on her feet.

"Control your emotions Naina. Abhi humein Navin ko dhoondhna baaki hai."

"Don't worry dhoondh lenge." She chuckled and hugged him.

"Aur woh kaise?"

This was a difficult question. Naina separated and looked at him. Her smile disappeared.  She realized that saying it was easy but doing it was not.

"Time for a reality check Naina." She simply nodded.

 

They returned to the hotel to make their strategy.

"Itna to pucca hai na ki Bhaiyya in hi do villages mein se ek mein hain?"

"Haan. There is no third way. It's almost 3 days. Jungle ka ek-ek corner check kar liya hoga in logon ne. So now it's either Posrur or Narowal."

"But I don't understand one thing... Bhaiyya itne injured hain aur Army bhi itni enquiries kar rahi hai unke baare mein. Then why would anyone help him. Yeh to unke khud ke liye bhi dangerous ho sakta hai na."

"Well... all I can say is that he got lucky. Baaki zaroori nahin hai ki ek insaan ke harek decision ke peeche koi logical explanation ho. Some decisions are ruled by heart. And for heaven's sake stop thinking about all this. Yeh socho ki ab hum Navin tak pahuchenge kaise. We better figure out something really fast. Agar Army ne yeh dono areas raid karne shuru kar diye to hum Navin ko nahin bacha paayenge."

 

They both were trying to think hard but none of them could come up with a solution. Finally something struck into Naina's mind.

"Raj hum dono idiots hain."

"What?"

"We are ignoring the most basic fact."

"Kaunsa fact?"

"Raj... Bhaiyya injured hain aur is waqt unhein survive karne ke liye kisi bhi aur cheez se zyaada zaroori hai..."

"Treatment...... Bang on! Matlab jisne Navin ko shelter diya hai ya to woh ek doctor hai ya phir ek doctor ki help to atleast le hi raha hai."

"Lekin I guess hum direct enquiries nahin kar sakte hain."

"Right."

"Then?"

"I don't know. Ek kaam karte hain pehle yeh pata karte hain ki in dono villages mein kitne doctors hain."

"Okay. Toh abhi chalein."

"Yeah. Let's go."

 

It wasn't actually a difficult task to find out about the doctors. Being small villages, both the places had only one dispensary each, with a single doctor appointed there. They used to provide medicines as well. There was not even a separate chemist shop. Now the only problem was to find out who of the two were giving treatment to Navin.

 

"Raj it's getting dark. Humare paas zyada time nahin hai. We can't work till late after dark."

"I know."

"Raj I think we should work separately. Hum dono ek-ek se agar separately aur individually deal karein to?"

"Don't even think I'll ever let you do something like that."

"But hamare paas time nahin hai. We need to find it out as soon as we can."

"Hamein time se zyaada planning ki zaroorat hai. Aagar hum in do doctors mein se ek ko rule out kar paate hain then also we can find out our man."

"You have got a point. But hum yeh karenge kaise?"

"I have a plan."