Chapter 11: Farewell Before the Storm
Jitendra was a carpenter, always kaam pe at construction sites, coming back home for kheti only in busy season.
He was the type with sawdust in his baal, haath full of moze, but always a smile for his baccha. He worked wherever the contractor sent him, paisa bhejte har mahina, never missing.
He’d only left two din pehle.
“I just left two days ago—she saw me off at the station…”
Jitendra couldn’t believe the news. Again and again, he broke through police ki line, desperate to reach his wife.
How did this happen?
Everyone remembered how Anjali had seen Jitendra off.
Jitendra’s house was at the edge, beyond the bargad, no proper road, so he had to pass through the gaon.
That din, he rode with Anjali through the village. Bahut log were eating poha at their doors, calling out:
“Arrey, going again? Kaam ho gaya?”
“All done, bhai. Roz kaam miss karo toh roz ki mazdoori kaat jaati hai.”
Shyam stood at his door, holding a steel tumbler. He looked at Jitendra, smiled, but kuch alag tha.
He wore a faded vest, chain glinting at his neck, and his eyes lingered too long on Anjali.
Jitendra called out, “Bhaiya, nashta ho gaya?”
“Bhaiya, station tak jaana hai? Bas, thoda jaldi niklo aaj.”
Jitendra noticed something odd in Shyam’s tone—a flicker of kuch unsaid, something ajeeb.
He later told the police, "Woh kuch alag lag raha tha. Nigahein theek nahi thi uski."