Media's Hero
Daya and Shreya had got a day off after solving a highly complicated case. It was 9 o'clock of the morning. Shreya had woke up but Daya was still sleeping.
Shreya got freshened up and picked up the newspaper. She flipped the pages and found an article about the last case solved by cid with special mention of Daya. She rushed towards bedroom.
"Daya.. Wake up please, you are in today's headlines." Shreya said entering the room.
Daya turned his side but didn't bother to open his eyes. "Hmm..kya hai Shreya, sone do na." He yawned, "pehli baar meri photo dekh rahi ho kya newspaper me?"
"No, I am just saying that it's really awesome to read something about you. but I am a little disappointed." Shreya said sitting next to the sleeping daya.
"Why so?" Daya mumbled.
"Kyunki pura article sirf aapko dedicated hai. Jabki wo case hum dono ne milkar solve kiya tha. I just missed a chance of getting a bullet. But media ne to sirf aapko hero banakar present kiya hai. Yes, they have mentioned my name in the last line saying that I assisted you and that too because I think they found it interesting that I am your wife. Wow!" Shreya smirked.
Daya opened his eyes slowly and looked at her, "kahi tumhe jalan to nahi ho rahi hai mujhse?"
"No Daya, jalan wali baat nahi hai but you know it feels bad when you don't get an appreciation for something you do risking your own life. Yes, I don't do my job to be in headlines but sometimes I also want to see my photo in newspapers like you. I want to read something on myself. But...anyway, you get up, I am going to prepare breakfast." Shreya said throwing the newspaper on the nearby table.
Shreya went into the kitchen. Same time the doorbell rang and Shreya moved to open the door.
As soon she opened the door a stranger barged inside screaming for help. His forehead was bleeding.
"Please help me madam, please mujhe bacha lo...wo log mujhe maar dalenge, mujhe bacha lo."
Shreya was bewildered, "arey, but aap hain kaun? Kaun maar dalega aapko? What's happening here?"
"Madam bacha lo mujhe please bacha lo, darwaja band kar do, wo log andar aa jayenge" the man said joining his hands in front of shreya.
"Oh God!" Shreya was puzzled, "Daya... Daya" she gave a call to daya.
As Shreya's voice fell into Daya's ears he immediately sensed the seriousness and ran outside.
"Kya hua Shreya?" He saw the man, "kaun hai ye aadmi?"
Shreya ran to daya, "I don't know Daya, ye darwaja kholte hi jabardasti andar ghus aaya aur keh raha hai ki koi use marna chahta hai"
Daya looked at the man suspiciously. He became alert. What if the man himself is some scoundrel or a criminal.
"Mujhe bacha lo please mujhe bacha lo" the man was pleading to both daya and Shreya.
"Ek minute, shant raho...shant raho." Daya said slowly moving near the man, "kaun maar dalna chahta hai tumko? Ye chot kaise lagi tumhare sar pe?"
"Daya, pehle ye puchiye ye aadmi hai kaun? Iska naam kya hai?" Shreya said to daya.
"Kya naam hai tumhara?" Daya asked the man.
The man looked at Daya and then at Shreya then again at daya, "mera naam? Mera naam Da...Daya... Daya hai, mera naam Daya hai"
Daya and Shreya exchanged looks in amazement.
"Achha, aur marna kaun chahta hai tumko?" Daya asked digesting the fact that he is his namesake.
The man was shivering due to fear. He looked at daya and whispered, "mere peeche kuch gunde pade hain. Meri wife mujhe marwana chahti hai. Usne bheja hai gundo ko. Wo log yahi ghar ke bahar khade honge. Darwaja mat kholna nahi to wo log mujhe maar dalenge" he started crying.
Daya and Shreya were so shocked. They again looked at each other.
Daya turned to the man, "Dekho, koi tumhe kuch nahi karega. Hum dono cid officers hain. Ghabrao mat"
"Cid officers? Sach me?" The man asked with a shine in his eyes.
"Han" said daya and turned to Shreya, "Shreya, be careful, main jara bahar dekh kar aata hu."
Shreya nodded. Daya went and grabbed his revolver from his room. Shreya made the man to sit on the couch. Daya opened the door and very carefully scanned the area outside his house. He came back inside after some minutes.
"Koi dikha bahar?" Shreya asked.
"Nahi, bahar koi bhi nahi hai" Daya said and came near the man. "Shreya jara first aid box aur ice le aana. Ye blood rokna hoga uske baad investigate karte hain." Daya said looking at the man and his bleeding forehead.
Shreya went and came back with the first aid kit. Daya did the first aid.
"Thank you sir" the man said to daya.
"Aapka pura naam kya hai? Aap karte kya hain!" Shreya asked the man.
"Madam abhi to bataya maine aapko, mera naam daya hai, main cid officer hu!" The man said looking at Shreya.
"What!" Shreya exclaimed and looked at daya, "Daya ye kya...
Daya asked her to keep calm. He turned to the man, "to tum ek cid officer ho? Tumhari wife ka naam kya hai?"
The man held is head pretending to recall something. "Meri wife ka naam mujhe yaad nahi aa raha, aur mujhe ye bhi nahi pata ki wo mujhe kyun marwana chahti hai. Mujhe lagta hai uska koi affair hai. Koi dusra aadmi hai uski life me."
Shreya came closer to daya and whispered, "Daya, mujhe ye aadmi pagal lagta hai. Kuch bhi bole ja raha hai."
"Hmm...let's see" daya said and sat in front of the man, "Ha to Daya, jaisa ki tumne bataya ki tum ek cid officer ho to...
The man gave daya a confounded look, "Cid officer? Main? Nahi to...main cid officer nahi hu, main to Doctor hu, Doctor Bose."
Daya was bewildered, he looked at Shreya.
"Arey, but abhi aapne kaha ki aapka naam Daya hai." Shreya said.
"Maine kab kaha?" The man said looking at Shreya confusingly.
Shreya exchanged glances with Daya.
"Daya, he is mad, he is totally mad, I am telling you!" She whispered to Daya.
"Ek glass pani milega madam?" The man said to Shreya.
Shreya looked at him suspiciously, "umm...yeah, why not doctor Bose"
She exchanged a quick glance with daya and moved to kitchen.
"Shreya, mere liye bhi pani lana" daya said from behind.
"Ok" Shreya said.
"Ha to doctor Bose, aapki wife is liye aapko marwana chahti hai kyunki uska koi aur affair hai. Aap jante hain wo kaun hai?" Daya asked taking it as a serious matter.
The man looked at Daya, "hmm...mera dost. He stabbed me in my back. Mujhe usse ye ummeed nahi thi."
Shreya came back with two glasses of water.
"Ye leejiye pani" She gave the water to both Daya and the stranger.
"So, you know Shreya, inki wife ka affair inke dost ke sath chal raha hai aur wo dono milkar inhe marwana chahte hain, right doctor Bose?" Daya told Shreya looking at the stranger.
The man was about to drink the water but stopped and looked at daya in disbelief, "what? Maine aisa kab kaha? Ye to aap keh rahe the ki aapki wife ka affair hai aapke dost ke sath aur wo dono aapko marwana chahte hain."
Shreya's mouth opened in shock, "What rubbish is this daya?"
Daya was himself amazed. "One minute Shreya" he turned to the man, "Doctor Bose, meri wife mujhe marwana chahti hai? Aisa kaha maine?"
Shreya was looking at both of them totally flabbergasted.
"Han bilkul, aur jo pani ka glass aapke hath me hai, kahi aapki wife ne usme zehar to nahi dala? Aap mujhse baate karne me busy the, to shayad inhone mauke ka fayda uthakar kitchen me hi chupke se ...
"Shut up! Daya main is aadmi ko aur bardasht nahi kar sakti. Jab se aaya hai bakwas kiye ja raha hai. Idiot! Ise ghar se bahar nikaliye abhi. Just throw him out daya." Shreya yelled out of rage.
Daya didn't drink the water and kept the glass on the table. "Calm down Shreya!"
"No Daya this man is totally mad..." She paused, "ek minute, aapne pani kyun nahi piya? Do you think that I really mixed something into this glass?" She said looking at daya doubtfully.
"No Shreya, it's not like that... Daya said.
"Then why you are not drinking the water?" Shreya shouted.
"Okay fine", Daya said and gulped down a little water from the glass. "Happy now?" He said looking at Shreya.
The stranger was watching both of them calmly. "Ok, chalo pani me kuch nahi milaya tha aapki wife ne. But affair to inka hai aapke dost ke sath aur aaj nahi to kal ye kisi aur tareeke se aapki jaan lene ki koshish jaroor karengi" he said to daya.
Shreya was fuming now, she pounced upon the man and grabbed his collar, "Kya bola? How dare you?"
Daya freed the man from Shreya's grip, "Shreya chodo use. Take it easy. He is mad, let him speak whatever he wants!"
Shreya left the man with a jerk. The man was panting.
"Dekha, aapki wife ka gussa, agar main jo bol raha hu wo sab jhooth hai to ye itna hyper kyun ho gayi?" He said cuddling himself on the couch under the threat of Shreya's angry glare.
Shreya looked at daya angrily. Daya requested her to keep a calm. He moved to the man and caught his arm.
"Dekho ab tumhara bahut ho gaya, chalo niklo yaha se. Isse jyada badtameeji main bardasht nahi karunga Shreya ke sath. Get out!" He shouted pushing the man towards the door.
"Are doctor Bose aap mujhe dhakka kyun de rahe hain? Maine kya badtameeji ki? Dekhiye mujhe gussa aa gaya to mujhse bura koi nahi hoga, behave yourself!" The man shouted at Daya.
Shreya rushed to him, "Achha, kya karoge han, kya karoge tumhe gussa aa gaya to? Maroge? Bolo, kya karoge?"
"Dekhiye madam aap Doctor Bose ko samjhaiye mujhse aisa behave na kare. Main dost hu unka. Itne salo ki dosti hai humari. Samjhaiye inhe." The stranger urged to shreya.
"Chal tu bahar nikal" daya said pushing him outside.
"He is not Doctor Bose, he is Inspector Daya. Doctor Bose to tum ho!" Shreya yelled at him.
"Tu bahar nikal" Daya said again pushing him.
"Are Shreya samjhao is aadmi ko. Main tumhara husband hu. Tumhare samne koi tumhare husband ke sath misbehave kar raha hai aur tum chup chap khadi hokar dekh rahi ho." The stranger said to shreya.
"Oh God!" Shreya sighed holding her head, "bas isi ki kami thi."
Daya was too annoyed now. He slapped the man right on his cheek, "kya bola tune? Han kya bola?"
"Aeeyy..." The man roared aggressively when daya slapped him. He forcefully pushed daya and ran towards the table where daya had placed his revolver. He grabbed the revolver.
Daya and Shreya were stunned.
"Goli maar dunga tum dono ko." He yelled.
"Hey stop it, gun neeche Karo" daya shouted at him.
"Chup, hath upar kar!" He yelled at daya.
Daya raised his hands up.
"Dekho, gun neeche rakho, goli chal jayegi" Shreya said calmly.
"Chup, giri hui aurat, mere hi dost ke sath milkar mujhe marna chahti hai tu, apne hi pati ko? Ab dekho main tum dono ka kya haal karta hu." The man said and started laughing maniacally.
He moved to daya and pointed the gun on his head, "tu mera dost hokar meri hi bivi se ishq ladata hai. Dosti ke naam pe dhabba hai tu. Tujhe chodunga nahi main."
Shreya was extremely scared now. "Oh no, Daya... dekho gun neeche karo, daya ko kuch mat Karna." She pleaded to the man.
He started laughing, "achha, badi fikar hai tujhe iski han?"
"Dekho please gun neeche Karo. Please Daya ko chod do" Shreya said crying.
Daya looked at Shreya and signalled towards the flower vase kept on the table behind her.
She blinking her eyes and continued her acting of crying in front of the man.
The man was grabbing daya's neck from behind pointing the gun on his head. Daya was unable to move.
"Bol tune mere sath aisa kyun kiya? Meri dosti me kya kami reh gayi thi? Mujhe dhoka kyun diya?" The man shouted at daya.
Daya looked at Shreya, "Yaar, kya karu, Teri wife hai hi itni gazab ki."
"Kya bola tu?" The stranger shouted and he was about to press the trigger but at the right time Shreya broke the vase on his head as daya had successfully distracted the man from his words.
He fell on the floor holding his head. Daya was free from his grip. Shreya ran and hugged daya.
"Oh my God Daya, you okay?"
"I am fine" Daya said rubbing her back.
Daya and Shreya investigated about the man and they found that he was a patient who had just escaped from the mental hospital that morning. They called the hospital and told about the man. A team from the hospital came to take the man in custody.
"Hello, inspector Daya, I am doctor Bose, is patient ko main hi treat kar raha tha. Hope isne aapko jyada pareshan na kiya ho. Iski wife iske kisi dost ke sath bhag gayi thi tabhi se iski ye halat ho gayi." A doctor from the team talked to daya.
"Bechara!" Shreya exclaimed and received a glare from daya.
"Bechara?" Daya said and turned to the doctor, "Aapke is patient ne pure 10 minute tak mujhe, yani insp Daya ko gunpoint pe rakha. Agar Shreya ne sahi time pe uske sar pe ye vase nahi mara hota to isne to meri khopdi almost uda hi di thi."
The doctor was embarrassed, "kya baat kar rahe hain sir aap? Sach me isne aapko...We are really sorry for the inconvenience sir!"
"That's alright. Make sure aisa dobara na ho." Daya said.
"Of course sir, we will" the doctor said.
They left with the man.
"Oh my God! What a thrilling day it was!" Shreya exclaimed looking at daya.
The next day, Shreya got up in the morning and picked up the newspaper. She found an article about yesterday's incident. She moved to daya to show him the article.
"Daya, see who is there in the headlines today!" She said.
"Kya baat hai, aaj to tumhara hi naam hoga, itni bahaduri se uske sar pe vase jo mara tha tumne. Tum nahi hoti to... Daya was saying but shreya cut him.
"Aisa kuch nahi hai. Media ke liye ye important nahi tha ki maine sahi waqt pe us aadmi ke sar pe vase maarkar aapki jaan bachai. Unke liye badi news ye hai ki aap pure 10 minute tak kisi ke gunpoint pe the. Aaj bhi sirf aur sirf aap hi hain article me" shreya said showing the article to him.
"Really?" Daya said with a grin.
"Huhh...kuch bhi kar lo, media ko to bas aap hi ko hero banana hai. Chahe aap gundo ki pitai karo ya kisi ki gunpoint pe chupchap khade raho. This is the limit yaar." Shreya said disappointedly.
"Shreya, gussa kyun ho rahi ho? Dekho na tumhara naam hai last wali line me!" Daya said to tease her and started laughing.
Shreya glared at him and punched playfully in his stomach.
o-o-o-o
.
.
.
A/N: Happy Diwali everyone!