Bank Was Robbed

It was as such a common Monday morning when I kicked my bike and reached the bank. So swiftly I parked my bike on the opposite side of the bank and cautiously crossed the road. The watchman in semi black uniform gave me an unknown smile adjusting his so called allocated duty gun. I was amazed yet I gave my smile back.

Having reached near the writing desk, I was jerking my newly purchased pen to let the point flow the ink so that I might put my sign on the cheque I wanted to issue. I immediately had to cancel the cheque as I made a minor spelling error in my name. Banks are so punctual; they never entertain such errors. Well, I did so. The bank was crowded. It was a crowd of common middle class people who were like me in hurry to rush to/for the office. There was also one more corner where people were waiting for their loans papers to be approved. (Normally bank gives loan to those who actually do not need it)

I looked around. There was a long queue of people having green or white colored receipts or cheques in hand. I helplessly joined them as I had nobody’s peculiar recommendation to take my turn little early. After long waiting, my turn was about to be announced. There was one old man before me who was very slowly counting his cash. As soon as the man behind the window signaled me to come forward, the whole bank was stunned by a loud noise. For a while, we all thought it could be some heavy explosive. In my whole life, it was for the first time when I was witnessing the bank under the claws of robbers. Yes, true it was. The bank was surrounded by some robbers.

People in the bank were unable to make out the scene. May be, it was a firsthand experience for all. The robbers were in fully black colored costumes with their head covered with a white colored net mask; as seen in our Hindi movies. But pathetically I was not being cinematographed. It was all real - real bank, real robbers and real me.

They were around fifteen. Soon after they hijacked us, they left an immediate order to keep our hands up. They had some very dangerous weapons which included guns, pistols, revolvers and two edged knives. It recalled me the watchman’s morning smile who also had a duty gun. I also thought what must have happened to him and his gun. Just their threatening and terrifying voice was enough to terrorize us. Personally speaking, it was the first time I was right in front of the black face of terrorism. What was going on in my mind then is not easy to describe. Naturally their only purpose was money. But was it easy for all present there to see the robbers loot the money of the bank where all had their accounts? Of course not. Just in few minutes, they collected all the people in one single corner with the hands still up. They were swift and accurate enough in their team work. They had one boss and the rest were his followers. Just in a few minutes, they managed to tie the hands of the manager and other working people of the bank. Account holders needed not to be tied as all were completely terrified. They were mentally tied. (This entire scene comically pulled my mind to share this example in a management class. But the situation then was not as funny as I try to make it now.)

I was also reminded my examination hall when I was a commerce student and facing Banking paper. But I then realized that real exams of life come unannounced. And it was really an actual exam of life which had knocked the door without any hint. Nobody in the house knew how to face them. Really, the value of life is realized only in front of the pipe of gun.

But stitch in time saves nine. It was useless to think of what would happen then. We as of then were surrendered. Nobody among us was either Spider-man or Krish so the only thing that could save us was none other than miracle and it was awaited. All hijacked timid people (including me) had suddenly turned into true devotees. All were calling their respective Gods. On the other hand, the robbers were flawlessly shouting cheap words to all irrespective of men or women. Women, kids and senior citizens were cornered separately. They were more endangered and terrified. But it did not make any difference to them who were black in clothes and heart.

They kept horrifying us for nearly forty-five minutes but packed all the cash in eleven different bags. They had closed all the entries of the bank except the one they wanted to escape from. They kept showing the guns even from distance till they reached the exit gate. Only one good thing happened was nobody lost life; though all lost money. Bank cupboard had nothing except useless papers. (including those loan documents also which few people were waiting for to be approved!)

Just in a few minutes, they started disappearing from our sight. As they completely went out of our view, we all thanked God for we were alive. No sooner had we come out of one shock then we listened one more blast. This time it was different. That blast was followed by serial shots of gun. We felt as if there was firing going on. But none of us dared to move from where we were standing. After sometime, we realized that the serial firing was closed. We could see the clouds of smoke from the entry gate. After some time we saw some more guns from that smoke. We thought the robbers came back but we were wrong. They were not robbers. The bank had got all those eleven bags back. The police took charge of the bank and by the time they had sealed the whole area. All the fifteen robbers were killed and the people inside the bank were safe. All had a smile with relief on their faces. I personally could get chance of meeting the in charge police officer of whole rescue operation. I shook hands with him and thanked him for his bravery and courage.

I was the first to come out of the bank and see the dead bodies of the robbers. But there was something I saw which had stopped my heart for a while. The watch man was holding his so called allocated gun in a semi black uniform, he was still sitting on his chair with the same unknown smile, his eyes were still open. He had all except life. He was dead. He lost his life when he stopped the robbers to enter into the bank. And it was that blast which informed police about the robbers in the bank. His wife and four years old daughter were lamenting near his dead body. I was right beside his dead body recalling his unknown smile which he had shared with me just a few hours ago. I never knew it was our last mutual smile. Life is dishonest.

It was not a common Monday when I kicked my bike.