Today was the passing out parade of women constables at the police academy. “Excuse me ma’am, do you remember me?” to me as they started to return after receiving their guard of honor in a grand ceremony. A new batch constable came in with a question. Amrita Viswam, the City Police Commissioner and nicknamed ‘Roaring Lioness’ in the force, came before the IPS without any preamble and asked me such a question. I could see the curiosity on the faces of my colleagues who were well aware of my short temper and how I would react. A face that has been forgotten somewhere.. A humble stand in front of the superior, but the eyes are full of confidence. Her body language is that of a policewoman. “Ma’am, you are one of the reasons why I am standing here. You all lifted me from the edge of a big pit of deception that I would have fallen into, towards wider goals. Do you remember the raid on a theater years ago, madam?
Her question brought my mind back to some past incidents. I was the Assistant Commissioner of Police. On a day when police were stationed in Mufti after an anonymous tip-off that some movie theaters in the city were engaged in immoral activities during the Noonshow show. The scene I saw when I went to the theater in Mufti. The young women and girls are oblivious to the environment in the seats, accompanied by alcohol and intoxication, as if imitating the scenes on the screen. Meanwhile, my attention was drawn to a girl who looked about fourteen years old and was wearing a school uniform. Even in the darkness of the theater I could clearly see the fear in the boy’s eyes. She was disturbed by the antics of her companion.
At the sound of the police whistle, the frightened youths tried to disperse, but all of them were caught in police cars and brought to the station. When the parents of the minor girl were called and settled, they dared to beat the child as I expected. The warning was to open their eyes that they should not go without knowing the condition of the very soil that is being washed away in the race to improve the standard of living. The parents were shocked to learn that their daughter had narrowly escaped becoming a link in a huge sex racket. The realization that her boyfriend was such a scoundrel was a shock to the then fourteen-year-old. After many days of counseling, she was able to bring her back to life. The police tried their best not to mention the child’s name and information in the news. I, including myself, kept in touch with the child constantly and made her aware of the big goals to focus on in her studies and then achieve. Later due to busy work and thinking that her interaction with us would leave her with memories of the bygone days, the contact with the family was not continued.
“Ma’am, every one of you has made my thoughts that life is about burning itself out like a candle of hope that would have gone out in the wind and spread light all around and made the steps ahead easier. After seeing the actions taken against the criminals that day, the spark of my dream to become a police officer serving the society was ignited in me. Today I have reached the first step of my goal. By working I will reach the bigger goal of civil service.” Seeing the determination in her eyes, my mind whispered that she would soon reach her goal. Yes, let every girl be able to realize her dreams and not burn as mere victims, trapped in cobwebs.
Content Summary: Malayalam Short Story ‘Unnam’ written by Divya Sreekumar