It was in the year 1997 ensuing monsoon. I was assigned a job of  organizing mechanized maintenance of  newly converted railway track in to Broad Gauge between Mehsana in Gujrat State and Ajmer in Rajasthan state.I was based in Abu road.The newly laid track was opened on 31^st March 1997.My assignment was over.I was waiting for orders to leave the place .

Orders were given instead to stay put there some more time.The territory was lying in Ajmer division at that time in Western Railway.So some patch maintenance was being done. A message was forwarded to me  that my presence was required for expediting the repair work .Poceeded for Ajmer  by  night train I reached early morning next day.

After taking break fast I called Senior Section Engineer In charge and discussed the means to early put right the machine. Met  the Senior Divisional Engineer Head Quarter for machine tamping programme at Abu road. After the  nominated repair I took leave from SDEN HQ and left for Abu road again by night train.

Train reached Abu road at about 4.00 in the morning. I came out of  Station for a auto rickshaw. Sounded one or two and decided to walk when there was no positive response. The Officer’s Rest House is situated about 500-600m from railway station.

Walking by itself in the morning is a pleasurable experience. The morning cool breeze is nature’s most invaluable gift. I had forgotten for a moment that trouble is brewing in ahead of 300m and police station just 100m.

Reaching about the causeway bridge over banas river I had  premonition that some thing wrong is going to happen. The fear gripped me, when I saw group of boys around five in numbers lined up along the wall of a milk dairy. Since there were hardly any incident of violence in the city I continued my pace. When I reached middle of the cause way the boys surreptitiously came out and encircled me .They were with lathis. They demanded that I should hand over them my brief case and all cash with me.I refused to part with.I also told them that the nearby house is mine where I am going. This revelation did not bother them. One of them from my behind asked the lathi wielding boy to hit me lest they missed the chance.He struck me with full force and the lathi scratched through left side scalp injuring and a lot of bleeding.I semi conscious and they decamped my belongings.

I paced towards Doctor’s bungalow slowly but definitely.On reaching I knocked the door. Doctor opened the door and quibbled that I should have gone to Police station. However,he agreed to my request to provide first aid and then to police station. After the first aid we proceeded to police station.To our dismay it was wearing a deserted look and no one was there to register the report. Flying squad arrived after a short while. SHO appeared about half an hour. He enquired about the spot and possible route they would have followed after the loot.I gave him very sketchy reply. Taking the keys of Doctor’s car ,SHO went about searching the thugs.They returned after the search with explanation that it was too late they would have  crossed the boundary of town.

SHO registered the  First information report.He directed me for medical check up.X ray was done .15 stitches were done my left side of scalp. The police then set me free to go home. Doctor took me to his bungalow for a cup of tea and then to Rest House.

Doctor went for preparing the tea. A patient made an entry through main door for routine check up.He was with his two sons.He made enquiry about the blood on the  floor at the entrance.I narrated him the incident and the blood.He informed that he never heard such incident in his stay of 25 years in Abu road. I called out the Doctor . Leaving the tea he came out of kitchen. I asked to examine the patient and then tea. No sooner did he examine with stethoscope, the patient collapsed. He frantically searched for keys for taking the patient to Civil Hospital. Incidentally the keys were under the patient. The keys removed he rushed the patient for emergency check up. Doctor at the Hospital refused to admit the patient.He was dead, Doctor admitted. The patient could not be saved.

Doctor left me in the ORH.

The police inspector informed at about 3.00 o clock in the after noon that the brief case has been traced in a very mutilated condition.

The brief case which I was carrying was a mobile home for me . It was containing my clothes and all including shaving kit.

Police summoned me after one year for identification of recovered articles.

The case was decided by fast track after a year. I could not identify the culprit.

The case may have been decided. My brief case is still with the police which I did not claim for obvious reasons.