- 46
- 86
- 19
Update - 19
SP Khan apni biwi Mariyam ko zordaar dhakke de raha tha, aur beech-beech mein dono ki baatein chal rahi thi. Mariyam, halki si muskaan ke saath boli, "Aapko pata hai, Ji... woh last wala ghar hai na gali ke end mein?"
Khan ne apni chal tez karte hue pucha, "Haan, kya hua wahan?"
Mariyam ne halka sa karvat badla aur bola, "Kuch khaas nahi, naye log aaye hain rehne. Soch rahi hoon kal unko lunch ke liye bula loon. Aapko koi problem toh nahi?"
Khan thoda sa rukte hue, mariyam ke bal pakad kar pucha, "Pehle batao, kaun hain ye log? Kahin kisi officer ka chakkar toh nahi hai?"
Mariyam haskar boli, "Arre nahi Ji, officer hote toh main pehle hi aapko bol deti. Waise aap ka din kaise gaya?"
Khan ne huff karte hue, uski kamar ko kas kar bola, "Mera din? Routine cases sambhalte-sambhalte khatam ho gaya. Lekin ek badi smuggling racket ki khabar mili hai. Waise, tumhara din?"
Mariyam ek shikayat bhari hasi ke saath boli, "Din theek tha... woh sabzi lene gayi thi aur sabzi wala phir se mehnga maal bech raha tha! Waise maine tumhare liye chai banayi thi, par tum itni late aaye ki thandi ho gayi."
Khan ne thoda sa haskar bola, "Tum bhi na, hamesha complaints karti rehti ho. Chalo, ab complaints band karo aur yeh batao, naye kapde kahan hain jo maine kal kharidne ko bola tha?"
Mariyam halka sa nakhre ke saath boli, "Kapde kal le aungi... Waise, ghar ke kaam sambhalte-sambhalte thak gayi hoon. Ab toh bas tumhara saath chahiye."
Khan ne ek zordaar dhakka diya aur uske kaan ke paas halki si awaaz mein bola, "Toh phir meri baahon mein rehna seekho. Sab kaam baad mein, ab sirf main aur tum."
Thodi der baad, dono apne jazbaat ke shikhar tak pahuch gaye. Khan ne apne beej ka ehsaas Mariyam ke andar utar diya, aur dono ek dusre ke saath us raat ke sukoon mein kho gaye.
---
Khan ki aankh khuli jab uska phone zor-zor se bajne laga. Halki si nafrat ke saath apni aankh masalte hue, usne ghadi dekhi—raat ke do baj rahe the. Uski hila-chala dekh kar Mariyam ki bhi neend toot gayi.
"Kya hua, Ji?" Mariyam ne dheeme lekin pareshaan awaaz mein pucha.
Khan ne uski taraf dekha aur bas ek haath utha ke signal diya ki chup raho. Usne phone uthaya aur screen par dekha—Task Force ka Patel call kar raha tha. Khan ne bina der kiye call utha liya.
"Sir," Patel ke hanfate hue shabdon se ek ghabrahat ke ahsaas hui, "humne Raju ki gherabandi kar li hai, yahan Nepal border ke paas. Lekin... saala hum par goli chala ke bhaagne ki koshish kar raha hai!"
Khan ki aankhein ekdam se tez ho gayi. "Kya? Tum logon ne corner kiya hai?" usne ek dum se ghusse se pucha.
Patel jaldi-jaldi bolte gaya, "Sir, Raju Zarina aur apne 3 bharose ke gunde ke saath Uttarakhand ki taraf bhaag raha tha. Lekin humein khabar mil gayi aur humne Nepal border ke paas uski gherabandi kar li. Par isne hum par AK se goli chala di hai!"
Khan ke chehre par ek kathor muskaan aayi. "Aurat aur gundo ke bharose hi reh gaya saala. Sun, kisi bhi haalat mein is baar bachna nahi chahiye," usne kaaha.
Patel ne zyada confident hote hue bola, "Sir, ab woh bura phasa hai. Bas backup chahiye."
Khan ne bina ek second zaya kiye SP Meena ko phone lagaya aur sari situation samjhai. "Raju ko corner kar diya gaya hai," usne kaha, "Nepal ke border par ek dum sensitive zone hai, par humein action lena hoga."
SP Meena ne turant jawab diya, "Main abhi team bhej raha hoon. Par yaad rakho, mujhe Raju zinda chahiye. Koi galti nahi honi chahiye!"
Phone rakhte hi Khan ekdam alert mode me aa gaya. Uska chehra ekdum serious tha. Mariyam ne uski taraf dekha aur dar se puchha, "Kya baat hai, Ji? Itni raat ko kaun tha?"
Khan ne apna coat uthaya aur bina palte bola, "Ek bada kaam hai. Waapas aake batata hoon."
Mariyam ne aur kuch puchhne ki koshish ki, lekin Khan door band karte hue ja chuka tha. Uski aankhon me ek determination tha—jo bhi ho, is baar Raju nahi bachega.
---
Khan apni biwi Mariyam ki taraf ek aakhri nazar dalta hai aur coat pehen kar ghar se nikal jaata hai. Uski chal me ek determination tha—jo bhi ho, is baar Raju nahi bachega.
Mariyam apne sauhar ko jaate hue dekh rahi thi, uski aankhon me ek ajeeb si ghabrahat thi. Jaise hi Khan door band karke chala gaya, Mariyam ne ek gehri saans li aur turant bistar se uth khadi hui. Haule kadmon se wo upar wale kamre me gayi, jahan sab kuch shant tha.
Usne almirah ke ek kone me rakhe ek purane shoe box ko khol kar andar se ek Nokia ka purana mobile nikala. Uski ungliyaan halki si kaanp rahi thi, lekin usne phone ON kiya. Screen par ek weak signal blink kar raha tha.
Mariyam balcony me aayi, jahan se usne Khan ko car start karte aur raat ke andhere me jaate hue dekha. Usne jaldi se mobile me ek number dial kiya, jo shayad uska dil kabhi bhool nahi sakta tha.
Do rings ke baad phone utha liya gaya. Dusri taraf se ek awaaz ayi, "Haan, bolo."
Mariyam ne dheeme lekin sakt shabdon me kaha, "Roshan, Raju aaj ho na ho pakda jayega. Uske gundo ko thikane lagwao, aur uska bhi kaam tamaam karo. Agar wo bol pada, toh sari pol khul jayegi."
Dusri taraf se kuch pal ke liye khamoshi thi, phir ek awaaz ayi, "Samajh gaya. Sab handle ho jayega."
Mariyam ne bina kuch aur bole phone kaat diya. Uska chehra ekdum serious tha, jaise wo kisi aur duniya ki hasti ho. Usne phone switch off kiya aur wapas shoe box me rakh diya. Sab kuch waise ka waisa set karke wo neeche apne bedroom me gayi aur bed par let gayi, jaise kuch hua hi na ho.
Lekin uski aankhon me ab neend nahi thi—sirf ek ajeeb sa dar aur chhupi hui chaal ka sukoon.
---
MLA Roshan Ansari raat ke andhere me apne bistar par baitha hua tha. Uska chehra paseene se bheega hua tha, aur uska shareer darr ke maare kaanp raha tha. Andar hi andar ek hi baat ghoom rahi thi—"Raju kisi na kisi din meri maut ka karan banega."
Uski aankhein phone ke screen par tikki hui thi. Mobile uske haath me tha, lekin wo abhi tak Roshan ke liye ek zinda bacha hone ke khatre ka paighaam tha. Dusre kone se Mariyam ka phone aaya tha, aur uske shabdon ne ek pal ke liye Roshan ko sukoon diya tha—Mariyam apna kaam kar chuki thi.
Roshan ke chehre par ek halki si muskaan ubhari. "Mariyam ne apna karz aada kar diya hai," usne dheeme se apne aap se kaha. "Wo meri sabse wafadar mohra hai."
Mariyam ka Roshan ke saath ek rishta tha jo kisi ko pata nahi tha. Log samajhte the ki Mariyam ek anath thi, lekin Roshan ke liye wo kabhi ek "anath" nahi thi. Wo uska godfather tha—woh aadmi jisne Mariyam ko bachpan se khilaya, pilaya aur ek shatranj ki mohre ki tarah taiyar kiya tha.
Mariyam ki love marriage bhi ek sochi samjhi chaal thi. Khan ke saath uski shaadi Roshan ke kehne par hui thi, kyunki Khan Roshan ke dushmanon ke network ko todne ka ek zariya ban sakta tha. Mariyam ko Roshan ne ye samjhaya tha ki Khan ke saath rehkar wo uska sabse bada asset banegi. Aur Mariyam ne bina shikayat ke Roshan ka har hukum maana tha.
Roshan ke andar ek ajeeb si ghamand aur sukoon ka mix tha. Usne phone uthaya aur apne trusted man ko message bheja, "Raju ka kaam tamaam karo. Gunde bhi saaf hone chahiye. Koi galti nahi."
Message bhejne ke baad Roshan apni ghadi dekh raha tha, jaise maut ke ghante ginte hue ek chor jo apne hi jhuthon ka shikar tha. Uske andar ka darr abhi bhi zinda tha, lekin ek baat usne thaan li thi—koi bhi uske raaste me nahi aayega, na Khan, na Raju, na koi aur.
Wo bistar par let gaya, lekin uski aankhon me neend nahi thi. Raat ki shanti me ek tufaan tayar ho raha tha—ek aisa tufaan jo khud Khan ke ghar ko hila ke rakh dega.
SP Khan apni biwi Mariyam ko zordaar dhakke de raha tha, aur beech-beech mein dono ki baatein chal rahi thi. Mariyam, halki si muskaan ke saath boli, "Aapko pata hai, Ji... woh last wala ghar hai na gali ke end mein?"
Khan ne apni chal tez karte hue pucha, "Haan, kya hua wahan?"
Mariyam ne halka sa karvat badla aur bola, "Kuch khaas nahi, naye log aaye hain rehne. Soch rahi hoon kal unko lunch ke liye bula loon. Aapko koi problem toh nahi?"
Khan thoda sa rukte hue, mariyam ke bal pakad kar pucha, "Pehle batao, kaun hain ye log? Kahin kisi officer ka chakkar toh nahi hai?"
Mariyam haskar boli, "Arre nahi Ji, officer hote toh main pehle hi aapko bol deti. Waise aap ka din kaise gaya?"
Khan ne huff karte hue, uski kamar ko kas kar bola, "Mera din? Routine cases sambhalte-sambhalte khatam ho gaya. Lekin ek badi smuggling racket ki khabar mili hai. Waise, tumhara din?"
Mariyam ek shikayat bhari hasi ke saath boli, "Din theek tha... woh sabzi lene gayi thi aur sabzi wala phir se mehnga maal bech raha tha! Waise maine tumhare liye chai banayi thi, par tum itni late aaye ki thandi ho gayi."
Khan ne thoda sa haskar bola, "Tum bhi na, hamesha complaints karti rehti ho. Chalo, ab complaints band karo aur yeh batao, naye kapde kahan hain jo maine kal kharidne ko bola tha?"
Mariyam halka sa nakhre ke saath boli, "Kapde kal le aungi... Waise, ghar ke kaam sambhalte-sambhalte thak gayi hoon. Ab toh bas tumhara saath chahiye."
Khan ne ek zordaar dhakka diya aur uske kaan ke paas halki si awaaz mein bola, "Toh phir meri baahon mein rehna seekho. Sab kaam baad mein, ab sirf main aur tum."
Thodi der baad, dono apne jazbaat ke shikhar tak pahuch gaye. Khan ne apne beej ka ehsaas Mariyam ke andar utar diya, aur dono ek dusre ke saath us raat ke sukoon mein kho gaye.
---
Khan ki aankh khuli jab uska phone zor-zor se bajne laga. Halki si nafrat ke saath apni aankh masalte hue, usne ghadi dekhi—raat ke do baj rahe the. Uski hila-chala dekh kar Mariyam ki bhi neend toot gayi.
"Kya hua, Ji?" Mariyam ne dheeme lekin pareshaan awaaz mein pucha.
Khan ne uski taraf dekha aur bas ek haath utha ke signal diya ki chup raho. Usne phone uthaya aur screen par dekha—Task Force ka Patel call kar raha tha. Khan ne bina der kiye call utha liya.
"Sir," Patel ke hanfate hue shabdon se ek ghabrahat ke ahsaas hui, "humne Raju ki gherabandi kar li hai, yahan Nepal border ke paas. Lekin... saala hum par goli chala ke bhaagne ki koshish kar raha hai!"
Khan ki aankhein ekdam se tez ho gayi. "Kya? Tum logon ne corner kiya hai?" usne ek dum se ghusse se pucha.
Patel jaldi-jaldi bolte gaya, "Sir, Raju Zarina aur apne 3 bharose ke gunde ke saath Uttarakhand ki taraf bhaag raha tha. Lekin humein khabar mil gayi aur humne Nepal border ke paas uski gherabandi kar li. Par isne hum par AK se goli chala di hai!"
Khan ke chehre par ek kathor muskaan aayi. "Aurat aur gundo ke bharose hi reh gaya saala. Sun, kisi bhi haalat mein is baar bachna nahi chahiye," usne kaaha.
Patel ne zyada confident hote hue bola, "Sir, ab woh bura phasa hai. Bas backup chahiye."
Khan ne bina ek second zaya kiye SP Meena ko phone lagaya aur sari situation samjhai. "Raju ko corner kar diya gaya hai," usne kaha, "Nepal ke border par ek dum sensitive zone hai, par humein action lena hoga."
SP Meena ne turant jawab diya, "Main abhi team bhej raha hoon. Par yaad rakho, mujhe Raju zinda chahiye. Koi galti nahi honi chahiye!"
Phone rakhte hi Khan ekdam alert mode me aa gaya. Uska chehra ekdum serious tha. Mariyam ne uski taraf dekha aur dar se puchha, "Kya baat hai, Ji? Itni raat ko kaun tha?"
Khan ne apna coat uthaya aur bina palte bola, "Ek bada kaam hai. Waapas aake batata hoon."
Mariyam ne aur kuch puchhne ki koshish ki, lekin Khan door band karte hue ja chuka tha. Uski aankhon me ek determination tha—jo bhi ho, is baar Raju nahi bachega.
---
Khan apni biwi Mariyam ki taraf ek aakhri nazar dalta hai aur coat pehen kar ghar se nikal jaata hai. Uski chal me ek determination tha—jo bhi ho, is baar Raju nahi bachega.
Mariyam apne sauhar ko jaate hue dekh rahi thi, uski aankhon me ek ajeeb si ghabrahat thi. Jaise hi Khan door band karke chala gaya, Mariyam ne ek gehri saans li aur turant bistar se uth khadi hui. Haule kadmon se wo upar wale kamre me gayi, jahan sab kuch shant tha.
Usne almirah ke ek kone me rakhe ek purane shoe box ko khol kar andar se ek Nokia ka purana mobile nikala. Uski ungliyaan halki si kaanp rahi thi, lekin usne phone ON kiya. Screen par ek weak signal blink kar raha tha.
Mariyam balcony me aayi, jahan se usne Khan ko car start karte aur raat ke andhere me jaate hue dekha. Usne jaldi se mobile me ek number dial kiya, jo shayad uska dil kabhi bhool nahi sakta tha.
Do rings ke baad phone utha liya gaya. Dusri taraf se ek awaaz ayi, "Haan, bolo."
Mariyam ne dheeme lekin sakt shabdon me kaha, "Roshan, Raju aaj ho na ho pakda jayega. Uske gundo ko thikane lagwao, aur uska bhi kaam tamaam karo. Agar wo bol pada, toh sari pol khul jayegi."
Dusri taraf se kuch pal ke liye khamoshi thi, phir ek awaaz ayi, "Samajh gaya. Sab handle ho jayega."
Mariyam ne bina kuch aur bole phone kaat diya. Uska chehra ekdum serious tha, jaise wo kisi aur duniya ki hasti ho. Usne phone switch off kiya aur wapas shoe box me rakh diya. Sab kuch waise ka waisa set karke wo neeche apne bedroom me gayi aur bed par let gayi, jaise kuch hua hi na ho.
Lekin uski aankhon me ab neend nahi thi—sirf ek ajeeb sa dar aur chhupi hui chaal ka sukoon.
---
MLA Roshan Ansari raat ke andhere me apne bistar par baitha hua tha. Uska chehra paseene se bheega hua tha, aur uska shareer darr ke maare kaanp raha tha. Andar hi andar ek hi baat ghoom rahi thi—"Raju kisi na kisi din meri maut ka karan banega."
Uski aankhein phone ke screen par tikki hui thi. Mobile uske haath me tha, lekin wo abhi tak Roshan ke liye ek zinda bacha hone ke khatre ka paighaam tha. Dusre kone se Mariyam ka phone aaya tha, aur uske shabdon ne ek pal ke liye Roshan ko sukoon diya tha—Mariyam apna kaam kar chuki thi.
Roshan ke chehre par ek halki si muskaan ubhari. "Mariyam ne apna karz aada kar diya hai," usne dheeme se apne aap se kaha. "Wo meri sabse wafadar mohra hai."
Mariyam ka Roshan ke saath ek rishta tha jo kisi ko pata nahi tha. Log samajhte the ki Mariyam ek anath thi, lekin Roshan ke liye wo kabhi ek "anath" nahi thi. Wo uska godfather tha—woh aadmi jisne Mariyam ko bachpan se khilaya, pilaya aur ek shatranj ki mohre ki tarah taiyar kiya tha.
Mariyam ki love marriage bhi ek sochi samjhi chaal thi. Khan ke saath uski shaadi Roshan ke kehne par hui thi, kyunki Khan Roshan ke dushmanon ke network ko todne ka ek zariya ban sakta tha. Mariyam ko Roshan ne ye samjhaya tha ki Khan ke saath rehkar wo uska sabse bada asset banegi. Aur Mariyam ne bina shikayat ke Roshan ka har hukum maana tha.
Roshan ke andar ek ajeeb si ghamand aur sukoon ka mix tha. Usne phone uthaya aur apne trusted man ko message bheja, "Raju ka kaam tamaam karo. Gunde bhi saaf hone chahiye. Koi galti nahi."
Message bhejne ke baad Roshan apni ghadi dekh raha tha, jaise maut ke ghante ginte hue ek chor jo apne hi jhuthon ka shikar tha. Uske andar ka darr abhi bhi zinda tha, lekin ek baat usne thaan li thi—koi bhi uske raaste me nahi aayega, na Khan, na Raju, na koi aur.
Wo bistar par let gaya, lekin uski aankhon me neend nahi thi. Raat ki shanti me ek tufaan tayar ho raha tha—ek aisa tufaan jo khud Khan ke ghar ko hila ke rakh dega.
Last edited: