Chapter 33

 

EPISODE – 45

 

He pressed a button and gave a countdown of three...

 

It was too late for Rajveer to shoot him. The bomb had to blast now anyway. The moment Rajveer saw him pressing the button, he yelled at the top of his lungs,

 

"BACK OFF EVERYONE!!!"

 

"Teen..." The countdown had begun.

 

All of them started running in the opposite direction at a speed they might not have even known they have.

 

"Do..."

 

They were running for their lives. Though they had the courage to face their death, they had more important things to do at this point of time than sacrificing their life uselessly dealing with a maniac.

 

"Ek..."

 

"DOWN EVERYONE....... ON THE GROUND!" Rajveer instructed them.

 

The moment their bodies touched the ground.....

 

BLASSTTTTT!!

 

 

Almost all of them could feel the searing flames of the explosion on their back. The wooden stalls lying empty had caught fire. They all got up. They turned to see the place where the man was standing. There wasnt anything apart from flames... No trace of a man standing there a few seconds back could be seen.

 

Suddenly Rajveer noticed one of the police officers on the ground, rolling on his back. His shirt had caught fire and he was trying hard to extinguish it. Few of the officers ran to him and helped him.

 

"Are you okay?" Rajveer asked him as he got up on his feet.

"Yes Sir."

"Good. I'll need three of you come with me. Rest of you, call a fire brigade and get him first aid."

 

Three officers accompanied him as he set out to stop the scheduled first blast at Shopper's Stop in 45 minutes.

 

On his way, he called up Navin.

"Navin.... Anything new?"

"Nahin... Tu to theek hai na.... Hua kya tha?"

"Ek blast ho chuka hai Janpath mein."

"What?"

"Haan... He exploded himself when we caught him."

"Any casualities?"

"Thankfully no!"

"Thank god...."

"Woh sab chod aur jaldi se Shopper's Stop pahunch."

"Why?"

"Pehla blast wahin hone waala tha."

"Information pucci hai."

"I think so... Waise sahi ya nahin but this is the only information we have. Aur hamare paas time bahut kam hai. So rush up. Tu Neeti ko inform kar... Bomb Sqaud ko bhejne ke liye... Main Maya se baat karta hoon."

"Okay!"

 

Rajveer called up Maya and asked her to send a police team to Shopper's Stop in the first place.

 

 

********

 

"Hamaare paanch mein se do aadmiyon se baat nahin ho paa rahi hai." One of the terrorist reported his leader.

"Lagta hai hamara shaq sahi nikla... Un logon ko hamare iraadon ki khabar lag gayi hai."

"Lekin kaise?"

"Yehi to samajh mein nahin aa raha."

"Humein jald hi iska jawaab dena hoga, warna saare kiye karaaye par pani phir jaayega."

"Sahi kaha tumnein... Ab to in logon ko jawaab dena hi hoga. Itni aasani se hum haar nahin maanenge. Lekin kuch bhi karne se pehle hum pehle dhamake ka intezaar karenge. Agar kuch bhi gadbad hui to...."

 

********

 

A police team was waiting outside Shopper's Stop when Rajveer and Navin reached there.

"Is jagah ko chaaro taraf se gher lo... Koi bhi ander na aa paye aur na hi koi baahar nikal paaye." Navin was giving them instructions when a unit of Bomb Squad reached.

 

Rajveer and Navin entered the place with the team of Bomb Squad.

"Spread out." Rajveer instructed them all. Rajveer and Navin ran left and the others spread out in twos and threes in the other directions.

 

"Raj tu theek to hai na?" Navin was worried to see Rajveer. His shirt was a little burnt on the back and calf and a very thin layer of soot covered his right cheek, forehead and hands.

"Of course yaar. Tu meri chod aur kaam pe dhyaan de warna theek rehne ke liye dono mein se koi nahin bachega."

 

They began to look around. All the places seemed extra-ordinarily huge today when they had to check each and every corner. They could not afford to be callous while checking any place.

 

Just 10 minutes were left. Time was ticking away rapidly. Navin's cell rang.

"Haan Neeti bolo."

"What?"

"Great news."

"Nahin... no success here."

"I'll call you back later."

 

He hung up.

 

"Kya hua?" Rajveer was curious.

"Kashmere gate Metro Station pe ek aur Human Bomb pakda gaya."

"Great! Yaani iske baad sirf ek aur baaki hai."

"Yes... In dono ko bhi ab pakad hi lenge."

"You bet!"

 

This news of another success recharged them. With a lot of excitement and more determined, they continued with their job. But it began to die down soon.

 

"Sirf 5 minutes bache hain yaar." Nain was sounding apprehensive.

"Kam se kam time bacha to hai... We can't give in."

 

Their wireless beeped. The entire unit spread inside was connected through wirelesses.

"Kuch mila?"

"Nahin sir. Time bas hone hi waala hai."

"Keep searching. We don't have any other choice."

 

"Raj what if... Curfew ki news sun ke he had escaped. Waise bhi khaali building blast kar ke woh log kya kar lenge."

"Chances to hain. But we still can't be too sure about it. Aur bomb ke saath escape karna itna bhi aasan nahin hoga."

 

Both of them were quiet until one thought struck them simultaneously.

"What if..." They said in chorus.

"Ek khaali building blast karne ke liye koi apni jaan nahin dega." Navin continued as Rajveer signaled him to say first.

"Aur kyunki police was spread out everywhere and evidently Delhi ki security badhai jaa rahi thi to aise mein bomb le ke bhaagna bahut zyaada risky hai."

"Iska matlab....."

 

Navin immediately contacted the police officials surounding the building.

"Jaldi se look around.... Bomb can ke kept somewhere outside also. QUICK!"

"Lekin sir humein to kaha aya tha ki Human Bomb hai...."

"Thodi der ke liye woh sab bhool jao and do as I say... we don't have time."

"Right sir."

 

Rajveer, Navin and the members of Bomb Squad continued to search inside while the police officials looked outside. Two minutes later, one of the police officials found a bomb ouside the complex. He immediately informed Rajveer.

 

"Dammit... Sirf 2 minute baaki hai... Baahar aate aate hi it's gonna blast."

Navin shrieked.

Rajveer ran to a Bomb Squad member and explained him the situation.

"Can you talk to them and explain them how to diffuse it."

"I can try sir."

"Then do it."

 

He got him on the wireless Navin was holding and a courageous officer on the other side took the responsibility. He explained what the bomb looked like and the wires on it.

 

"Cut the red wire without touching any other wire."

"Are you sure?" The officer was a bit nervous now.

"Just do it." He was told.

"EVERYONE GO BACK." He yelled at the other officers as he tried to cut the wire with his shaky hands. Drops of sweat rolled down on his temple. He closed his eyes firmly to summon all his strength and finally cut the wire and........