Shaam theek 5 baje main hostel ke paas bani paan ki dukaan par khada cigarette ke kash laga raha tha. Kuchh der baad hi vo chowkidaar sada kapdo mein aata hua dikhai diya. Maine use aata dekh cigarette bujha di aur uski taraf chala par vo mere kareeb se aise guzar gaya jaise pehchanta hi na ho.
Ek pal ke liye to mujhe samajh hi nahi aaya ke kya hua par phir agle hi pal dimag ki batti jali aur main palat kar uske pichhe pichhe chal diya. Vo chalta hua gali se baharmain road par aa gaya jahan meri car bhi khadi hui thi. Car ke paas aakar vo ruk gaya.
"Andar beth kar baat karte hain. Aisa khade mein kisi ne mujhe aapse baat karte dekh liya toh museebat ho jaayega" Main uske pichha chalta car tak aaya toh vo mujse bola.
Maine car ka darwaza khola aur ham dono hi front seats par aa bethe.
"Kaun ladki ka information chahiye?" Meri taraf dekh vo bola. Bolne ke andaz se hi main samajh gaya ke vo Bihar ka rehne wala tha.
"Vo sab baad mein, pehle ye batao ke kisi ne tumhein mujhse baat karte dekha toh museebat kyun ho jaayegi?"
"Abhi aap pehle ya akele toh nahi hain na jo ladki logan ke baare mein puchh rahe hain. Aaye din koi na koi aa jata hai ke vo kaun ladki hai, vo kaisi ladki hai. Ham pehle batai dete the, phir ek do baar pakde gaye. Final warning mila hai hamein ke ab kisi ladki ka information bahar diye toh naukri se jaayenge" Vo ek saans mein bola.
"Hmmmm" Maine Saloni ki tasveer nikali "Isladki ke baare mein malum karna hai, Saloni Mitra"
Tasveer dekhte hi uske chehre ke bhaav badalte chale gaye. Usne kuchh bolne ke liyemunh khola hi tha ke phir fauran band kar liya.
"Iska toh zyada lagega saahib" Vo bargain karne par aa gaya.
"Aur aisa kyun?"
Jawab nahi aaya.
"Zyada kyun lagega?" Maine phir puchha par vo meri shakal aise dekhta raha jaise main faarsi mein bol raha hoon jo uske pallenahi pad rahi.
Maine samajhte hue ek 100 ka note aur nikala.
"Ab kya hai na sahib" Usne 100 ka note liya aur jeb mein daal liye "Itna bhola toh hamko bhi mat samajhiyega na aap. Ye ladki ke zaroor koi toh bada lafda hai. Subahisko puchhte hue pehle aap aaye, phir ek policewala aur ab shaam ko phir se aap."
Main janta tha ke vo Joshi ke baare mein baat kar raha hai.
"Kya bata sakte ho iske baare mein?"
Vo phir chup chap meri shakal dekhne laga. Maine ek 100 ka note aur nikala.
"Ye ladki ko dekhte hi ham samajh gaye thena ke ye sasuri bahut lafdabaazi wali ladki hai. Always hamko ise dekh kar lagta tha ke ye uper se jitni thi, andar se usse 100 guna zyada thi"
"Matlab? Thoda detail mein batao"
Par vo phir chup ho gaya. Maine jeb se is baar 500 ka note nikala.
"Ye aakhri hai, ab chup chap rattu tuote ki tarah gana shuru kar do varna jitna diya haisab vaapis le loonga aur tumhari complaint kar doonga. Maal se bhi jaoge aur naukri se bhi"
Meri dhamki kaam kar gayi.
"Koi saal bhar pehle ye yahan rehne ko aayi thi. Ek dam sidhi saadi, dekhne se hi lagta tha ke koi gaon ya chhote shehar ki hai. Hamko toh laga ke hamre Bihar ki hi hai. Hamne baat karne ka bhi koshish kiya par ye kisi se baat karti hi nahi thi. Pehle kaafi din naukri ke chakkar mein yahan vahan ghoomti rehti thi aur phir kahin shayad kaam mil bhi gaya tha ise. 2-3 mahine tak toh sab aisan theek hi raha.
"Phir?"
"Phir kya, phir chidiya ke par nikalne lag gaye. Shakal soorat aur rangat se koi khaas nahi thi par sab saman chaukas raha inka. Toh phir dheere dheere se kapde bhi aise ho gaye ke saman aur nikhar ke bahar ko aaye. Salwar kameez se jeans aur phir jeans se oo chhote chhote lehenge pe aa gayi"
Short skirts. Mumbai jaise shehar mein ye koi badi baat nahi thi.
"Toh isse tumhein laga ke ye lafde baaz hai?"
"Arrey nahi. Vo aadhe kate hue lehenge toh ihaan sab pehenti hain par iska chakkar kachhu aur hi raha"
"Kya?"
"Ek din ham ka dekhte hain ke raat ke waqt ek police ki gaadi isko chhodke gayi"
"Police ki gaadi?"
"Ji haan. Ab aap hi sochiye, jis ladki ko uske ghar par raat ko police ki gaadi chhodke jaaye, vo kaisan rahi hogi"
"Hmmmm" Main gaur se uski baat sun raha tha "Phir?
"Phir ye ek silsila hi ho gaya. Aksar ise log gaadiyon mein chhod kar jaate the aur beech beech mein ek aadh baar aur police ki gaadi ise chhodke gayi. Ab jahan tak hamari soch jaati hai, police ki gaadiyon mein toh vahi ladkiyan milti hain jo kahin raid mein pakdi gayi hon"
"Phir?"
"Phir yahi silsila raha. Pehle toh roz raat ko aa jaati thi par phir kabhi kabhi raat bhar nahi aati thi. Kabhi kabhi 2-3 din tak gayab rehti thi"
"Gaadiyon mein kaun log hote the?"
"Ab ye toh common sense ki hi baat hai saahib ke kaun aate honge. Ham toh vahi bata rahe hain jo hamne dekha" Usne daantdikhate hue kaha.
"Hmm"
"Phir koi ek mahine se ye yahan dikhayi nahi di hai. Hamein laga ke chhod kar chali gayi hogi par phir jab aaj aap aur police puchhte hue aayi tab ham samjhe ke lafda kuchh aur hi hai"
"Yahan hostel mein rehne wali ladkiyon mein koi iske kareebi?"
"Haan ek thi, Maya. Ye dono ek hi kamre mein rehte the. Par vo koi 3 mahina pehle chhodke chali gayi. Ham suna rahe ke kahin Pune mein shaadi kar li thi usne. Uske baad se ye akeli hi rehti thi"
"Aur koi ladki?"
"Aur kisi se toh ye sidhe munh baat hi nahi karti thi"
_______________________