Bhaag 14
Vaha hospital me :
"Manglu, tumse koi milne aaya hai! Lekin zyada dimaag pe zor mat dena!" Kehke doctor kamre me se nikal jaata hain aur andar pravesh karte hain Mehul aur Arpita.
"Aaap.. aaaap log yahaan pe?" bistar pe leta hua Manglu, dono ko pehchaan leta hain. Uska yeh haal dekhke, dono Arpita aur Mehul ekdam se dang reh jaate hain aur Manglu sochne laga ke bhala yeh log kyon aye the yaha.
Arpita : Manglu kaka, ek baat saaf saaf batayiye!
Manglu : kya baat?
Arpita : kaka, aap ki yeh halat hua kaise??
Mehul gaur se dekhe jaa raha tha Manglu ko, jo ekdam se bechain hone laga kuch kehne ke liye, lekin pure maathe pe pasina hi pasina jam raha tha.
Arpita : kaka, please......jo sach hai, voh bata dijiye! Please...
Manglu : bitiya! Voh......main kaise....main kaise batau! Aap log mera yakeen nahi kar paoge....
Mehul : kaka! Aap bahut kuch jaante hain, mujhe malum hai!
Manglu : (khud ko rokke) beta! Uuuhhh (kuch dard mehsoos karke) beta voh... ugh...Neha bitiya...uugu
Arpita : (aankhe badi karke) Neha?? Neha kya kaka???? Boliye please...
Manglu : voh Neha bitiya ki aa...uh!
Tabhi vaha nurse ka pravesh hoti hain aur Arpita aage puchna band kar deti hain. Jab Manglu ko aaram karne ke liye kaha jaata hain to majburan Arpita aur Mehul vaha se chala jaata hain aur seedhe doctor se mil lete hain.
Doctor : dekhiye, inke sharirik dard ke alava, unhe ek mansik dhakka bhi laga hain! Shayad koi aise cheez inhone anubhav kiya hain, jo yeh bata nahi paa rahe hain!
Arpita : kya yeh kabhi thik se bata payenge? I mean... normally!
Doctor : kuch keh nahi sakte! Ho sake to kuch din aur baad aayiye, lekin filhal condition bahut hi nazuk hai.
....................
Hospital se nikalte hi, Mehul Arpita ko bike pe piche bithaye, college ki aur jaane lagte hain, lekin ek dusre se vartalab jaari rakha.
Arpita : shit! Manglu bahut kuch jaanta jai....kaash voh puri baat keh deta!
Mehul : sach me bahut bure haal me hain voh! .. lekin voh Neha ki zikar kyon kar raha tha?
Arpita : yehi raaz to janni paregi! Jo sirf aur sirf Manglu hi bata sakta hai!
Aise me achanak, anjaane me hi bike pe bethi Arpita ki haath Mehul ke peeth par kass jaati hain, jisse Mehul kuch pal ke liye apne mann me Neha ko laane lagi, jab uski mulakat pehli baar usse hui thi.
Flashback :
Mehul apne bike pe bas apne hostel laut raha tha ke tabhi door kahin ek ladki lift maangne lag jaati hain "hello! Excuse me!".
Mehul gaadi rok deta hain aur gaur se us ladki ki yovan me khone laga. Sudol jism pe t-shirt aur jeans kayamat paida kar rahi thi aur aankhe inti gehri ke, shayad koi jaam hi ho. Yeh thi Neha!
Neha : excuse me, umm..kya aap lift de sakte hain, bas kuch hi doori pe jaani hai!
Mehul : dekhiye, main to hostel jaa raha hoon...aap ko kahaan tak jaana hai?
Neha : if you don't mind, kya main pooch sakti hoon, kaun sa college?
Mehul : Grand loyals, kyon?
Neha : oh! Intefaq ki baat hai, main bhi vohi jaa rahi hoon!
Mehul : okay, kya aap nayi aai hai? Pehle to dekha nahi kabhi aapko!
Neha : well, yeah... Maine abhi abhi admission li hai, to... chale? (chulbuli andaz me)
Mehul muskurate huye Neha ko piche bitha deta hain aur voh chal padte hain. Yaha se shuru hui thi in dono ki dastaan aur aksar ride ke dauran Neha ki haath peeth pe kass hi jaati thi. Yehi se aksaar jaane anjaane me in dono ki mulakat hoti gayi aur baat mohobbat tak aa chuki thi.
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Vartaman :
Arpita : Mehul??? Kahaa kho gaye?
Mehul : oh! Kya ..sorry...voh..
Arpita : yeh kaun se raste pe le aye ho? College to us taraf reh gayi!
Mehul ko jaise hi yeh ehsaas hua, foran bike ko ghuma deta hain aur college ke taraf chal padta hain. Mann hi mann Arpita khoob samajh rahi thi ke Neha abhi bhi Mehul ke mann ke kisi kone me basi thi.
.........
Raat ke kareeb 11.45 baje :
"Mehra sahab! Aap itna pareshan kyon ho rahe hai bhala?"
Police station me, inspector Shah abhi abhi ek mujrim ko giraft karwake, apne kusri pe bethe Prakash se phone pe baatein kar rahe the.
Prakash : Mr Shah! (Thode pareshani me) Bahut soch vichaar ke baad, mujhe to aisa lag raha hain jaise Dalal ke maut me kuch had tak Neha ke saathiyon ka hi haath hai! Khaas karke us haramzade londe ka!
Shah : lekin abhi achanak aap is baat ka zikr kyon kar rahe hain?
Prakash : main yeh baatein apne me hi rakh raha tha! Darasal Damini bahut hi soch aur ghabrahat me reh rahi hain aaj kal! (Bistar pe bethe apne patni ko gehri neend me sote huye dekh)
Shah : hmmm! Thik hain...aaj raat to main kuch nahi kar sakta, lekin haan! Kal subah hote hi main aapke police protection ka order nikalunga...khud, apne taraf se! Phir...un haramzado ko bhi dekh lenge!
Prakash : thank you inspector! Agar aisa hua, to meherbani hoga aapka! Aapko nahi malum..
kis tarah mera ghar ka shaanti bhang ho raha hai dhire dhire!
Shah : don't worry... chaliye goodnight Mr Mehra!
Shah phone ko cut karke, kursi se uthke, apne jacket pehne, foran ghar ki aur nikalne hi wala tha, ke tabhi unhe ek phone aata hain. Call landline me aaya tha, isliye number ka koi thikana nahi tha.
Shah : Hello, inspector Shah bol raha hoon!
Dusre taraf : hello! Inspector sahab.. main bahut musibat me hoon! Kuch gundo ne mujhe agwa karke is ajeeb si veeran jagah par le aaye hain....Aap please yaha aajayiye..mujhe bahut darr lag rahi hai!
Shah : ghabrao mat! Yeh batao, tum kahaa se bol rahi ho?.............. oh accha! Thik hai, main kuch hi der me vaha pahuch raha hoon!
Shah foran police station se nikalke, apne jeep me bethke, bataye gaye sthan ke aur chal padte hain. Us jagah ko dhoondhte dhoondhte, aakhirkar voh kisi jungle ke veerano me pahuch jaata hain. "Yeh kaisi jagah hai, itni sunsaan aur jungalo se ghera hua!" kehte huye Shah jeep me se utar ke yaha vaha dekhne lag gaya. Aadhi raat hone ke vajah se maahol aur bhi sunsaan lag raha tha. Tabhi achanak uska mobile baj utha.
Shah : (call lete huye) hello!
Dusre aur se : sahab! Main hoon.. kya aap pahuch gaye hain??? (Awaaz me ghabrahat thi)
Shah samajh gaya ke yeh vohi ladki thi, lekin hairan reh gaya ke bhala uska private number use mili to mili kaise, lekin phir usne in sab baaton pe gaur karna fizul samjha aur apna pura dhyan us ladki ke mamle ko dene laga.
Shah : haan! Dekho....main spot pe pahuch gaya hoon, tum kaha ho?
Ladki : sir, aap thoda aage ayiye, aapko ek bargad ka ped dikhega...main vahi pe khadi hoon! Jaldi ayiye inspector sahab!
Shah : tum vohi ruko, main abhi aata hoon!
Phone ko cut karke, Inspector Shah haath me revolver liye, aage aage jaata gaya, aur use yeh ehaaas hi nahi hua ke voh dhire dhire ab jungle ke gehrayio tak jaa chuka tha. Aakhirkar, voh ek bargad ke ped ke saamne aake ruk jaata hain aur yeh vohi ped tha jiske saamne hi, zameen ke andar Neha ko dafnayi gayi thi. Lekin is baat ka ehsaas Shah ko zara sa bhi nahi tha. "Hmm ped to yehi lagta hai! lekin yeh ladki kahin dikh nahi rahi hai!" yehi soch liye voh idhar udhar dekhta gaya.
Shah ke nazar yaha se vaha ho hi raha tha, ke tabhi ek haath uske kandhe pe aake ruk gayi. Jaise hi voh mud gaya, to dekha ek kamsin jawan ladki khadi thi, jiski shakal ittefaq se Shah ko bahut jaana pehchaana sa lag raha tha. Aur to aur, voh ladki khubsurat aur jawan itni thi, ke uske dil mein hulchul si hone laga.
Pehnave ke anusar, voh ladki koi banjaran jaisi dikh rahi thi, kapdo ke dhang se, aur chehre pe kaafi pareshani jhalak rahi thi. Jab Shah ne use upar se niche dekhne ke baad, gaur se uske chehre ko dekhke laga, to agle hi pal us ladki ko voh foran pehchan leta hain. Yeh vohi banjaran thi, jo Prakash ke party me sabme jaam baant rahi thi, thumke lagate huye.
Shah : (revolver ko pocket me vapas rakhke) are! Tum kahin voh to nahi...jo Mehra sahab ke party mein...
Ladki : jee sahab, maine vohi hoon!
Shah : (gaur se us ladki ki jawani ko dekhte huye) hmmm! tum is sunsaan si jagah pe pahuchi kaise?
Ladki : sahab, voh kuch gundo ne mujhe yehi kaid karke rakha hai, voh log yehi kahi honge sahab! Mujhe bacha lijiye aap!
Shah ki nazar baar baar us ladki ki choli me phase stan ki daraar par jaane laga, sirf itna hi nahi, stan ke daraar se nazren hataye, voh dhire dhire uski balkhati kamar aur lehenge me kase taangon ko dekhne lag jaata hain, khair nazren upar upar karte huye jab dono ke aankh takda jaate hain, to voh banjaran sharma jaati hain aur Shah ko yeh dekhke maza aane laga, lekin filhal voh use bachana chahta tha.
Shah : kamal hai! Tumse dubara mulaqat hoga, pata bhi nahi tha
...khair, tum jaise haseen aur jawan ladki ka inti raat me, aise veerano me rehna bhi thik nahi hai!
Banjaran : jee sahab! Bas.... ab aap aagaye! Mujhe thodi thodi sukoon mil rahi hai! (pyari si muskaan deti hui)
Tabhi asmaan me zor ki bijli kadak uthi aur voh banjaran ghabrake agle hi pal, anjaane me Shah se lipat jaati hain, jisse hua yun ke choli me phase mote stan seedhe vardi daale huye chaati pe dab jaate hain. Jawab me Shah bhi use jakde leta hain aur uske sar ko apne seene pe rakh leta hain. Phir dono ke nazren ek baar aur mil jaate hain.
Shah : (mulayam se peeth ko sehlate huye) fikar mat karo, ab koi tumhe kuch nahi karega!
Us banjaran ke chehre ko apne chehre ke bahut kareeb paake, Shah dhire dhire apne honton ko uske kareeb laata hi hain ke tabhi voh banjaran apni mulayam ungliyon se uske hont thaam leti hain aur dhire se phusphusati hain "sahab! Shayad voh gunde yehi pe hain! Maine vaha us badgad ke vaha koi hulchul mehoos ki!"
Shah : (chehre ko vapas piche le jaate huye) oh...accha! (piche mudke us ped ko dekhta hua) main acchi tarah is jagah ka moina karta hoon! Tum yehi thehro!
Ladki : (sharmake ungli ko daant tale dabaye) anjaan jagah hai sahab! Main bhala kaha jaungi.... Aap thik se dekhiye, voh gunde yehi kahin honge!
Shah us banjaran ke har ek ada pe, party wale din se hi kayal tha, aaj kisi bhi keemat pe voh use akela chorna nahi chahta tha. "Thik hai... ghabrao mat! Main aaju baaju dekhke aata hoon!"
Us ladki ko vohi rukwake, Shah apne revolver nikale, acchi tarah us bargad ke ped ke ird gird dekhne laga, lekin kuch bhi nazar nahi aaya, aur phir vapas us ped ke aaju baaju pedo ke aaspas dekhne lag jaata hain, lekin kisi bande ka naam o nishaan nahi. Phir, jab vapas apne spot me aaya to voh banjaran kahin bhi nazar nahi aayi. Na aas paas koi gunde the, aur na hi voh ladki.
"Are...kahaan chali gayi????" Shah hairani se yaha vaha dekhne laga, lekin voh banjaran aisi gayab thi, ke jaise voh yaha maujood thi hi nahi kabhi. Bechain hoke Shah ke nazren charo aur dekhne lag jaata hain.
Tabhi, jis zameen ke hisse ke upar Shah khada tha, us hisse me kuch hulchul hone laga. Kyonki zameen pe mitti hi mitti ths, aisa lagne laga jaise us mitti ke andar se kuch bahaar nikalne ki koshish kar raha ho. Us hulchul ko apne talwo pe mehsoos karke Shah ekdam chaukanna ho gaya aur nazre niche karke zameen ki aur dekhne laga.
Voh sukhe huye mitti baar baar upar niche ho rahe the aur vaise vaise inspector Shah ke dhadkane bhi tez ho raha tha.
"Yeh.... kya ...kuch hai kya andar??"
Sochte huye Shah foran niche jhuk jaata hain aur ghutno ke bal bethe gaur se us mitti ke hulchul dekhne laga. Belt se apne dande ko nikalke, bahut dhire se us mitti pe bane lambe se lakeer par thapthapane laga, ke tabhi achanak mitti pe hulchul band ho jaata hain.
Agle hi pal....
"Aye sahab! Hehehehe! Aaye sahab!"
Vahi banjaran ki chulbuli awaaz gunj uthi aur Shah ka dil zoron se dhadak utha, uski awaaz sunke. Ghabrake ke voh yaha vaha dekhne laga, lekin voh banjaran nazar nahi aayi.
Agle kuch pal tak koi bhi awaaz nahi aayi aur is dauran dil mein rahat liye, Shah kuch derh tak yunhi ghutno ke bal betha raha, lekin tabhi phir ek baar mitti me hulchul hui. Is baar aur zyada chaukanna hoke Shah apne dande ko usi jagah par thame, apne gardan ko aur jhuka leta hain tabhi kuch aisa hua, jise Shah ne shayad door door tak socha bhi na ho.
Zameen pe lage us mitti ki lakeer ka faasla badh jaata hain aur un gehrayio me se do safed se lambe haath aake seedha Shah ke gardan ko dabochne lagte hain. Gardan daboch jaane se Shah ekdam se ghabrake apne aap ko churane ki koshish karta hain, lekin nakamyab hota hain. Uske asahaita ko dekhke zameen ke andar se durbhagyajanak, Neha hasne lagti hain. Vohi ghinoni khilhilahat!
"Uurfgghhhhhg uuuhhh!!! Laakh koshish ki lekin Shah apne gardan se un haathon ko chura nahi paya. Tabhi zameen ke ek dusre hisse me hulchul hui aur Shah ki nazar us hulchul ke aur chala jaata hain.
Zameen ke us hisse ke mitti ko phaarti hui ek sar bahaar aajati hain. Voh sar kisi aur ki nahi, balki Neha ki thi. Us doori se bhi Shah ko Neha ko pehchanne me zara bhi dhoka nahi hua. Ek to yeh khaufnaak stithi aur upar se Neha ki chehre ko dekhke Shah ka dimaag ghum chuka tha. Aisi aafat aaya hua tha, jo uske bardasht ke bahaar ja raha tha.
Neha shaitani andaaz me hansti jaa rahi thi, jisse uski mooh ke andar ke naukhile daant nazar aa rahe the. Yeh khaufnaak nazara dekhke Shah kuch keh bhi nahi paa raha tha, kyonki gardan pe hathon ka jakad kaafi sakht thi.
Tabhi Neha hasna band kar deti hain aur apni chehre pe ek krodhit bhav laati hain, jiske baad hua yeh ke uski dono haath Shah ke gardan ko pakadke ek zor jhatke ke saath use pura ka pura zameen ke andar tak khich leta hain. Maano jaise zameen ke us hisse ne Shah ko nighal liya ho.
"Naahiii nahiii NAAHIII!!!!!!!" Ahista ahista Shah ki zubaan ruk jaati hain, kyonki jism ke saath saath, ab uska sar bhi zameen ke andar ghuste chale jaate hain. Neha ki aankhen ghussa dikhati gayi, bina palke jhapke.
Aakhirkar, Shah ke pura ka pura jism andar jaate hi, Neha vapas muskurati hain aur uski sar bhi niche chali jaati hain aur zameen ke andar. Dhire dhire, zameen ke un tamam hisse pe vapas mitti jam jaate hain aur unke stithi normal ho jaate hain, jaise ki kuch hua hi na ho.
Jungle me mahol ekdam shant ho jaata hain aur vapas sanatta chaa jaata hain charo aur. Aisa lag raha tha jaise inspector Shah ki puri duniya me koi astitva hi nahi tha.
Tez hawao ke vajah se us mitti ke ird sukhe patte jama ho jaate hain aur raat ek baar phir sanatte mein shant aur sukoon se bhara ho jaata hain.