NH 544

Note: Since this story would be taking place in the NH-544 roads of Cochin-Pollachi, I have tentatively titled this as NH-544.(National Highway 544). It is loosely inspired from the Pollachi  2019 Rape Incidents.

KOCHI DISTRICT, KERALA:

4:00 AM:

25 MARCH 2019:

In the Honeywell house of Kochi, surrounded by huge trees, plants and bushes on either side of the house, a car is standing in the center of the entrance hall. Inside the house, a sound alarm rings in the Samsung M31 Galaxy, which have 100% full charge.

As the alarm rings, Akhil gets up from his bed after ten minutes of tiredness. Going inside his bathroom, he tells the mirror: "I will quit the job today." Getting himself ready for five minutes, he ties a towel to hide his naked body and proceeds to wake up his girlfriend Rashmika, who is sleeping in another room.

"Rashmika. See, the time is 4:15. We have to go for our job immediately right. Wake up di" said Akhil. After a while of laziness, she wakes up and gets herself ready, wearing sari.

While, Akhil as usual wears a full-hand shirt, pants, with a tie to his shirt and to defend himself, he have wore a shoe, that's used for factory. Regularly he does exercises and plays basketball, which is his favorite sports game, to relieve himself from stress of corporate jobs.

As both of them are entering the entrance gate of their office, security stops the car. His face is pissed off. Since, he have to wake up earlier than Akhil and Rashmika, to do his duty as a guard.

Akhil enters out from the car and the security asked him, "Sir. Can you please show me your ID card?"

Akhil takes it from his car and shows to him, after Rashmika shows her ID card. He lets them go inside. Going inside the office, Rashmika tells: "It have became routine for us to showcase our ID card, everyday Akhil. Really Frustrating."

Hearing all these things on one side, he looks for the washroom on the other side and goes towards the washroom. Refreshing himself by washing his face, he tells: "Now, I have to get myself ready for all fake smiles and good mornings."

He goes to his cabin and opens his computer. Checking the new email, he opens another folder named Whosoff(leave system) in the computer to check, "who bloody got escaped today." He sends the report to the office and while ready to start his job, someone from his back calls him by the name, "Akhil."

"Hey Adhithya. I was looking for you, all these while. Why this much late man?" asked Akhil, to which he replied: "Got stuck in important work, buddy. That's why, late."

"Ok. Come. Let's have tea in our tea stall" said Akhil, to which Adhithya asked him: "In such a great hygienic place ah? Fine. For humans, tea is very important. So, let's go and have the tea."

After getting the glass, Akhil washes the tea glass again, going inside the washroom, where Adhithya asked him: "This became our routine job to wash this tea glasses, which those guys should do. Cha!"

"It's all our bad time da" said Akhil.

After having a tea, they proceed to their cabin. Since, it's time for their work. Sitting in the computer, Akhil finds out about a new project file, that's kept in his table and goes through it carefully.

Because, he have to understand all the fake promises, that the company had gave to it's client. In between the time, he receives a call from Adhithya.

"What da?" A tensed Akhil asked him.

"Everyone have gathered for an important meeting with our boss Joseph da. Come immediately." They attends the meeting with him, where the boss tells, "Guys. I thought you all would come late to the meeting. As you were busy drinking tea, meeting office friends and talking some jokes. But came this earlier. Anyways, instead of doing comedies like Vivek in a film, you all have came at right time.."

"Is he joking or scolding us da?" asked Adhithya, to which Rashmi warns him to keep his mouth shut. They muted the phone, after laughing for the joke of their boss. Then, he starts to tell about the project and they notes it down.

After finishing the works in the office, Rashmika returns back to their house as usual. However, on the way back to her home, her car's window gets smashed by few thugs, who were handed over to police by Akhil, for selling cocaine and brown sugar, a few days back.

10:30 PM:

Deeply shakened by the incident, Rashmi fearfully looks for Akhil, who have came at 10:30 PM, having finished his works. He learns about the unexpected events from Rashmi.

Concerning her safety, he approaches Adhithya, to whom he revealed about these things.

"Buddy. She has to be very careful da. I have a suggestion. But, you should hear it patiently!" Akhil nodded his head, hearing this.

"Why if we don't buy her a licensed gun? So that, she could defend herself!"

Thinking this to be a right point, Akhil agrees and decides to buy her a license gun. Finishing some formalities for the gun, Akhil consoles her and persuades Rashmi to forget about the incident. But, she couldn't be able to.

That night, she hugs Akhil and asked him, "Akhil. Don't go away from me da. I feel very fearful. Stay with me in the room da."

Seeing this, Akhil recalls about an event in his childhood days, where he used to hold his father's hand, whenever going out from his house for school days. He makes her sit in a chair and gives her a glass of water.

With the fearful expressions on her face, Rashmi drinks the glass of water and at that time Akhil said, "Rashmi. When your parents got killed, did you lose hope? You lived a brave life right? Why are you fearing now? To make you relieved let me tell you a story."

Akhil narrates her, how he too lost some of his happier moments, after his family died in a fire accident. He made up his mind to survive in this world, amidst of challenges, problems and negativity. Since then, it was Sai Adhithya(his full name) who supported him as his best friend.

"Life is full of battles and challenges Rashmi. To be free from all fear, we must be awake to its darkening influence, and only constant watchfulness can reveal its many causes."

While talking with Rashmi, Akhil plays a song called, "Chirunavve" to console her. While talking with her about the importance of life, he touches her arm lightly and leans into her.

As she looks at him, Akhil touches her cheek and tells, "Rashmi. You are beautiful now. Inside the heart." As Akhil turns off the lights in the room and proceeds to go for his room, Rashmi stops him and tells,

"I love you Akhil." Looking her eyes, Akhil kisses her lips softly. As she looks at him smiling, he lingered in her lips. They both leans in and share a deep kiss.

But, Akhil stucks in-between. Hence, he returns to his room and Rashmi too follows towards his room. As he cannot take back his eyes from her, Akhil pulls her close by holding her by the waist. She comes closer to him and Akhil notices her body language.

As she tries to move from him, Akhil held her in his arms gently. And trailed his finger around her back. At that time, he feels the fabric of her sari on his skin. He runs his finger through her hair and trailed his finger along her jawline, holding her chin.

Taking her by the hand, he lights his room and proceeds to kiss her by taking his own time period after lingering. He continues to kiss her all over the body. To make her realize that, he is there with her right there and right then, he starts to kiss her more passionately. He takes her to the bed.

Slowly, Akhil removes her sari, like sculpting a statute and like teaching her to break free. Rashmi lays in his arms and unbuttons his shirt and takes her own time to remove his dress. While he doesn't stop kissing her and lingered on her lips.

Taking her hands around and entwining his fingers, Akhil gently strokes the nape of her neck and kissed her neck. They both sleep together in the room, the whole night.

Since, Akhil have got the work-from-home approval form signed from his company, considering for the safety of Rashmi, he feels relieved. Because alarms are not necessary for him now.

SIX HOURS LATER:

4:30 AM:

Six hours later, the same thugs knocked the door of Akhil's house ferociously with their knives. Feared that, the same people are to attack her, Rashmika sees outside and feels panicked. The guys broke the door and attacked both Akhil and Rashmi herself.

Despite their begs to spare the life, they brutally kill them with their knives.

"Akhil!!!" Rashmi said waking up suddenly. She looks in and around the room and feels relieved...

Akhil hears her screaming and asked her, "What happened dear? Why you are feared again?"

"No Akhil. The thugs are here to attack us. I saw them in the entrance of our room." Rashmi said with her fearful eyes. Wearing blanket to cover his naked body, he goes along with Rashmi(who too wears a blanket) to their entrance room and finds no one.

He tells her, "It's just a dream Rashmi. See the time. It's 5:00 AM. Come inside." She goes upstairs along with him and when in bed, she asked Akhil: "Akhil. I will sleep in your lap ah da?"

"Why in the lap? Sleep in my heart itself, dear. So that all your stress would go away." As told by him, she sleeps in his heart and realizes that "All her fears have gone away."

FEW DAYS LATER:

04 APRIL 2019:

Few days aftermath, Akhil expressed about the anxiety and worries of Rashmi to Adhithya, who too have started to work from the home and meets him in the house.

"Buddy. Why not, if we three can go for a jolly road trip? So that, Rashmi could feel relaxed."

"What you told is right only da, buddy. If we can go for the road trip, our work stress and burden could decrease slightly. But, for that our company should accept eh!" said Akhil, to which Adhi replied saying, "We are working from home only know da. Then, why to fear and worry?"

Then, Akhil sees his calendar and comes to know that, Rashmi have her birthday on 10 April 2019. He suggests her the road trip to relieve her stress down. As she accepts, the three starts their journey the next day in their Toyota Yarsi car, on early morning from Cochin, at around 5:30 AM.

THRISSUR:

AT 8:00 AM:

By 8:00 AM, they reaches Thrissur and the trio eats their breakfast in a motel. Paying the bill, they starts their journey. While going, Rashmi notices the names of NH-36: Trichy- 126 km, NH-209: Pollachi- 78 km. Upon seeing these, she asked Adhithya: "Bro. Where are we going now?"

"We are going to the Azhiyar Reservoir of Pollachi, Rashmi" said Adhithya. She really feels excited and happier to hear this and recites in joy, expecting for the place.

While going in the car towards Palakkad-Pollachi roads around 9:45 AM, a bus approaches towards them, in a way of causing an accident to their car. But, to the luck, Akhil escapes. While, another bike rider meets with a terrible accident, due to the lose of control. The rider doesn't wear a helmet to defend himself and dies on the spot.

Inside the bus, 37 people are injured, which includes a woman and school children. Panick-stricken with the event, Akhil approaches them and takes everyone in an ambulance, with the help of Adhithya. In the hospital, the driver is reported to be dead and the conductor being saved along with 37 women.

Feeling relieved and after praying to the mourning for the death of driver, the three proceeds to move forward towards Coimbatore. On the way, Rashmika asked to Adhithya, "Bro. Are these accidents common even in the well-made National Highway roads?"

"If we go faster in any vehicle, everything would result in a dangerous situation. For that, this National Highway road accident is a perfect example, Rashmi" said Akhil.

Then, Adhithya tells her: "In the past eight months, there were 113 accidents which claimed 16 lives and critically injured 70. Forty per cent of the affected were bikers while 10 out of 16 who lost their lives were below the age of 25. This dead guy's age is just 24 years."

"You are saying things, that are partial. But, Reports say that at least 4 accidents are recorded every 3 hours on the route. Similarly, the 15km stretch under construction between Mangalam Palam and Vaniyampara in Vadakkencherry saw 7 deaths in 6 months. Two pedestrians were killed while crossing the road at Mangalam and Vaniyampara due to lack of signboards.

Although speeding and rash driving are cited to be behind most accidents, the stretch itself has gained notoriety for its ill-maintained roads, lack of signboards, dearth of traffic signals at crucial junctions, and absence of proper lighting." Akhil said to them.

They drifts out the topic asides and proceeds to drive on the roads. While driving, Rashmi sees Bharathapuzha river bridge and asked Akhil to park the car to the left side of the bridge, so that she can admire the beauty of the river.

Akhil agrees and parks the car. He accompanies her along with Adhithya and stands in the bridge. After feeling the fabric of the fresh air and the natural water flow, the trio sets to reach Pollachi, by 11:30 AM. Because, traffic would be higher, due to the bridge works that's going on in the city.

When going in the car, Adhithya finds out a shortcut route for Azhiyar dam. As a henceforth, Akhil asked him to drive the car.

"Really ah da?"

"Yes buddy. It's truth. You drive the car. I will talk with Rashmi, meanwhile" said Akhil.

"For talking with her, you wanted me to drive ah? I will see da." Adhithya said in his mind and laughed. He takes the car and drives towards Meenakshipuram road. Before taking to the road, he fills full-tank petrol in the car, nearby a petrol bunk,

While going on the roads of Valandayamaram-Anaimalai road around 12:00 PM, crossing multiples of one-way roads and villages, they sees a mess and Rashmi tells, "Akhil. I have never experienced eating village foods, whenever I came to these kinds of places. Come."

After having a delicious lunch, provided with meat biriyani, fish and a chicken, the guys proceed to Azhiyar, through the roads of Anaimalai-Kottur roads. When going there, an unknown girl stops them.

"Who are you ma? Why are you stopping us in the middle of the road?" asked Adhithya.

"Sir. My name is Yazhini. Some unknown people are trying to abduct me and rape sir. Kindly save me from them." The girl begged at them.

"Are we a superman or avenger to save you from them? Go away from here. Did you think us to be fools ah?" Adhithya shouted at her. However, Akhil feels pity for her but, sees three men rounding up Yazhini, along with two more men.

One of the men slaps her left and right, beats her up and dragged her inside his Scorpio car. Furious, Adhithya and Akhil fight with those men. One of the man named Manikandan then tells them, "Do you know who I am. Union secretary of ADMK. If you try to assault us, you don't know what would be the consequences!" However, both the guys brushed off his words and warns them to leave the girl.

But, one of the guys slaps Akhil and tells: "Stay away from us. Orelse, you could meet the consequences." Akhil drives after the gang along with Rashmika and Adhithya to a place called Thaattur. They witnesses ongoing murders and brutality of the people, who are under the payroll of Manikandan.

Since, twenty henchman are there to support Manikandan, Akhil decides to watch them silently. However, things go awry at one point of time. The two guys are now terribly shocked and redempts their mistakes. They are now unable to give answers for Rashmika, who tells them to be a coward.

Yes. Manikanda and his friends raped Yazhini telling her: "I told you the reason that, I can't marry you, as we are from different castes. Further, requested you to abort the child. Since you are Gounder. While I am Chettiyar. How could it work out? Haa!"

Despite her pleads to spare, Manikandan brutally rapes her, without showing any sympathy and mercy. Since, his mind had been filled with lust and sexual desires. Having raped her brutally, one of the men takes a blade and cuts her genitilia. Afterwards, he pulls out the foetus from her womb.

Yazhini cries out in pain and dies on the spot, due to the excessive bleeding. Unable to bear this and extremely angry that, Akhil and Adhithya have feared to react against these people, she questions them: "You considered women just for lust and sex, as per my view point. See her da. If you have saved this girl, she could have survived. But you didn't even do anything right?"

The duo realizes their mistakes and decides to complaint to the police, so that the culprits could be severely punished. However, Manikandan's gang members finds the trio out and knowing that, they have witnessed the murder, they decides to kill these three.

To defend themselves, Akhil shoots Manikanda's friends Arun and Dinesh. He escapes from Thaatoor, heading to Chomandurai Chittoor of Anaimalai taluk, chased by the gang. At 4:30 PM, one of the gang member injures Adhithya. In retribution, Akhil shoots the henchman in his right chest and forehead, after which he dies.

After reaching Kottur with an injured Adhithya, Akhil finds out a farmland, where he leaves Adhithya, supported by Rashmika.

As he takes a leave in a bus by giving car keys to Rashmi, she asked him: "Akhil. I want you to come back soon da."

"Okay Rashmika. Take care of Adhithya. Be alert" said Akhil, to which she agreed to. He sees a police station on the way and in the station, he asks one of the constables to help them. But, the constable rejects to help him, when Akhil revealed about the gang rape, which he had witnessed in Thaatoor. Outside, he meets an Inspector in his SUV and they drive back to find Adhithya.

Akhil then realizes that, the Inspector is connected to the gang and is in their payroll. To defend himself from the gang and to save his loved one Rashmika and Adhithya from these brute's clutches, Akhil takes a nearby iron rod from the farmland and he hits his head for multiples of time.

The inspector bleeds to his death. Akhil drives off in the Inspector's car, chased by the gang. While driving the car towards Angalakurichi, he overturns it and finds a secluded house.

One of the house member defends Akhil by hiding him from a gang member, who comes asking about him. They advise Akhil to approach Manikandan's political rival the current village sarpanch Mahendran, who is residing nearby the taluk of Sangampalayam.

Akhil narrates his life story to Mahendran. After telling him of the gang rape, Akhil sees a cash bag, that consists of the name Manikandan and a cheque, worth Ten Lakhs as an addition. Realizing this, Mahendran locks Akhil in the room, calls the gang and hands over to them.

Manikandan's henchman ties up Akhil and brutally assaults him. The latter(Manikandan) drags him out in front of Mahendran and beats him ruthlessly by slapping him repeatedly and also punches him repeatedly in the stomach. Despite the injuries, Akhil however manages to escape with the gang's Scorpio car and rushes to the farmland where he finds Adhithya has been murdered.

Around 6:30 PM, with the help of some villagers, he rescues Rashmika, who has been hiding far away from the gang in a secluded hut. From Rashmika, Akhil realizes that: "Adhithya has saved her by not revealing about her hidden location and had sacrificed his own life."

Filled with remorse and extremely angered against the gang, Akhil returns to the Thaatoor village to avenge his friend's death after rescuing his Toyota car.

Akhil drives his Toyota car to the gang members and kills them brutally. As one of Manikandan's friends approached him with their knife, Akhil takes his gun and tells, "For supporting your friend's bad act, you have to be encountered like this da."

He shoots them off brutally and then, sees Manikandan face-to-face. While Mahendran watches this, Akhil brutally beats up Manikandan and hangs him off in a room saying that, "Cruel rapists like him aren't deserved to live a human life." As he is dead, Akhil beheads him and hangs his body, that's without head in the room.

Mahendran is spared by Akhil, after he assured him to close the case as a gang war. He leaves from the place along with Rashmika around 7:30 PM, as dusk breaks.

Reaching Palakkad around 8:45 PM in the same Bharathapuzha bridge, Rashimka cries, consoled by a dejected Akhil. Both of them embrace each other emotionally.

EPILOGUE:

"A journey that goes wrong, at times. We might have seen accidents that are happening on the National Highway roads when travelling. But, most of us don't realize the other crimes, that are undergoing on the roads, in our nearby area, etc. during the journey of our life. We realize those things, only when one of our beloved is harmed. Let's respect the sentiments and pains of other people also. And give respect for Women."