Mamta Kalia

the railway station with the diary in
his pocket.
He found Vijay Mitra’s father sitting
silently. He handed him the diary saying
he had forgotten to return it. His father’s
hand was trembling as if he were taking
the corpse of his son.
“Dr. Bhagat , if you are not feeling
well your statement can be taken later”,
Dr. Rajnish Acharya said seeing him wipe
sweat off his forehead.
Dr. C.K. Bhagat answered clenching
the handkerchief in his fist, “No Dr.
Acharya, I’m quite normal.”
In an abnormal silence Dr. Bhagat
kept speaking in as normal a way as
he could—
“When Vijay Mitra’s body was carried
out of ICCU, the crowd in campus began
shouting— “Long Live Comrade Vijay
Mitra!” The whole institute echoed the
slogan.
I couldn’t decide what to do? I came
helplessly to Doctor’s chamber. Dr. Sujata
Roy also came after me. Due to the
noise and excitement outside she was
looking terrified. I sat silent. Sister Elvin
was doing her work.
When I saw Dr. Choudhary entering
the Doctor’s chamber, I sighed with relief.
Dr. Choudhary came surprised and
panting— he came in and faced me, “Dr.
Bhagat , what’s all this? Why this crowd…
is everything alright here?”
“One patient… Naxal leader… those
are his supporters.” I answered dejected
122 :: April-June 2010
and got up to go home, “Dr. Choudhary
I am going home. Now you’ve come…
issue the death certificate.”
“I…”, Dr. Choudhary stammered.
“How can I give the death certificate!
I haven’t seen him… I don’t know even
his case history.”
I stared. Outside the noise was
lessening. Inside an unexpected situation
had arisen. I didn’t understand what to
do? I reminded Dr. Choudhary in a solemn
tone— “Dr. Choudhary, you are on duty.
Its your case according to rules”. But
Dr. Choudhary wouldn’t hear anything.
He was adamant. In such a situation,
the dead body, excited crowd, an
apprehension of coming incidents and
my helpless wife in the quarter, alone,
veins of my mind strained. Before I lost
my temper, I thought it better to write
the death certificate.
The statement of Dr. Sujata Roy
I, P.G. Student Dr. Sujata Roy was on
duty in Dr. choudhary’s unit when Naxal
leader Vijay Mitra was brought
unconscious in cardiology. After primary
check-up I found that the patient was
very serious and the crowd with him
very excited. Feeling frightened and
helpless I instructed to admit the patient
to ICCU and tried to ring Dr. Choudhary.
But I could not communicate with him,
since I knew till then that this patient
Vijay Mitra was a Naxal leader and the
people outside were his supporters I
was very much frightened. In this mental
situation I came out of the back door