For whom the bell tolls:Non state actor's deed! किसकी घंटी बजी !

For whom the bell tolls
By: Rajbir Deswal
Press the doorbell if you hear sounds suggesting domestic violence. This message is being conveyed through an advertisement on TV these days. It may appear to be intrusive, yet it checks the moment of extreme execution of anger. Wise people say if you push the ungainly moment into eternity just one time, it may not come back to you with the same tight-fisted intensity.
I am reminded of an interesting incident, relating to doorbells ringing, when fresh in service we played pranks as young officers, realising little, it would cost us dearly, if the things had gone a little too far, than intended.
It so happened that in the Officers’ Colony, we had someone ring the doorbells at odd hours. None was found around on enquiry. The mysterious act continued for days altogether, creating a kind of fear amongst the families, during those grim days of terrorism. Across the fences, in the driveways and over the boundary walls, we discussed as to who, and to what end, would dare to torment the officers’ and their families, for nothing.
One summer evening, I and my wife were sipping coffee after dinner, in the dimly lit lawn with Chander Prakash and his wife. We saw our neighbour A.K.Garg’s house carefully bolted on all sides, including the main gate, besides the entry to the flat. The Gargs seemed to have entrenched themselves in a kind of fortification. We could see their pet sitting on his haunches in the balcony. We collectively decided to play a prank to have fun.
Executing the conspiracy, I told my orderly to go home, after ringing Mr. Garg’s bell, and that of M.K.Mahajan, and two other officers’ in tow. He grinned demurely knowing pretty well the consequences. He also knew we would backtrack on his abetting by us. But as the cops would always go for the kill, if it amounted to some adventurism, he agreed.
Almost as a ‘non-state-actor’ we saw him vanishing in the dark after pressing the Gargs’ doorbell, to further carry out his assigned task. With controlled whispers and gagged giggles, we began to watch the goings on in Gargs’ compound,.
The windows started to light up one by one. The pet rose to the call of duty perhaps to cover up his not raising hell when a familiar ‘stranger’ had sought a sneak. The door opening into the balcony made a creaking sound while Mr. Garg appeared there with genuine apprehension but bold disposition, saying it loudly and forcefully—“Kaun Hai! Arre Bhai Kaun Hai?” Like an apparition and in tow, appeared a visibly scared Mrs. Garg.
Mr. Garg saw us from the balcony and yelled, “Deswal Sahib,aaj hamri ghanti baj gayee!” All the four of us feigned ignorance and assured the couple that we had been sitting right there, and did not notice anyone coming near the house. “Moreover Brownie too was fairly alert” we tried to be clever by half.
A hypertensive Mrs. Garg almost began to faint. My wife realised the gravity of the situation and promptly whispered the conspiracy plan into Mrs. Garg’s ears. Thankfully she instantly smiled, holding her head in both her hands, more to relax herself, than to be amused.
While we were there enjoying the aftermath of a successful stunt, we saw M.K.Mahajan arriving on the scene with his wife and three years old daughter. His carrying a steel curtain rod, twice his size, though threatened us initially, but all was well soon.
Next day it was our turn to turn down our orderly’s ‘dossiers’ sent to us by the neighbours. Surprisingly, the doorbells stopped ringing in our colony thereafter.