Escape Night

I can’t forget that night in my entire life, that was the long weekend, I planned to go to my native and chill with family, as usual, I took out my car and started at 10’clock night from Bangalore. It’s around 8 hours comfortable ride, I took all precautions such as full flask of tea to keep me awake at night. I played my favorite music and started. It’s around 11.30 I took a short break had some sandwiches, tea and left. It’s around 1 o'clock I was near the entrance of the Ghat section, stopped for the 2nd break. 

In the Ghat section, I was driving slowly, I was enjoying the calm, silent forest weather along with my favorite music, I was totally enjoying my drive in that Ghat section. Somebody started honking, I slowed down and gave him a way, suddenly another car came from another side, they lost control and both the cars collide badly, even it touched my car lightly, both cars were damaged badly, it was the 1st time I experienced such an accident so closely. Shockingly moved towards and checked both the car drivers, opposite car driver had few minor injuries, other one was bleeding badly, I was shattered by seeing the blood, figuring out how to react I called 108. somehow succeeded in taking him out of the driver seat. I kept talking to keep him awake. He is Ramesh, he was in a hurry to meet his friend. Ramesh asked me to inform his friend about the accident, finally108 arrived. We exchanged our numbers, Ramesh asked me to take out 1 small bag from the dashboard and keep it safe.

I was thinking to go to the hospital and wait till someone from his family reaches the hospital. Ambulance came and took them to hospital, both the cars were not in working condition, I checked my car, it had few dents It gave some trouble to start at the beginning and after trying many times it started. Ufff, bit relaxed, but I can hear some sort of sound from my car, it was just 70 km away from my native, I thought it’s better to reach home, check my car condition and visit the hospital later. I drove towards my native. Around at 6 am near some village, my car stopped suddenly, only best part was I almost reached my native. Somehow I found one elderly person, explained him the situation and told him I will come with mechanic later in the day, by then please keep an eye on the car. he agreed as he had a shop nearby and guided me towards bus stop.

After waiting for an hour or so I got a bus to my place. The same accident scenes were running in my mind. After a 15-20 min, I saw few cars coming from another side at very high speed one after other, initially I ignored but after seeing more than 10 cars back to back, got little scared. Still, 1 hour of journey left in the bus, slowly I went into sleep, after some time I heard some shouting, got scarred and got up, a gang of 10 people got into the bus, they were looking like rowdies, It was very scary as there were very less people in the bus. At the same time my mom called as it was late compared to my regular travel time. she was checking where did I reach. I don’t want to explain complete story at that time, just told car gave some trouble on the way so coming in a bus, almost reached just half an hour way, good part is she didn't enquire much and told that my uncle has gone to pick his friend that way, check with him and come along with him. I was literally scarred to travel in that bus anymore, I just got down at the next stop and called my uncle and left with him home. On the way, I explained the whole story to my uncle. 

After reaching home got fresh up, explained the complete story to my parents, after listening completely my mom took promise no more night drive, post seeing that accident so closely even I was at same mindset. My dad told take some rest now and go to the hospital in the evening as visiting hours of that hospital is from 4-6. I also thought that's better idea and quickly check their condition by calling hospital. They mentioned patients are out of danger. 

I tried to sleep for a long time, the same scene was running in mind again and again, I dint even realize when I slept till when my mom came and woke me up. I went to check my car along with my brother. Finally everything sorted out by lunchtime, post-lunch we both headed towards the hospital. 

In hospital I searched for these people, Ram the other driver was shifted to the ward and looks quite ok and Ramesh is still in ICU under observation. Met a few friends and relatives of both them, explained the complete story. One of Ramesh’s friend was very curious about the details, he started asking what and all were there in the car and all kinds of stuff, suddenly I remembered about the bag which I forgot in home only. Just before I mentioned that Police arrived for the inquiry, asked me about the complete scene, I narrated the complete story and mentioned the bag and informed while coming tomorrow will hand it over. After all the enquiry got over me and my brother left for the home.

I planned this trip to chill out in home but everything got screwed, this incident disturbed me a lot. Accident, Hospital, Police etc were all strange experiences for me. It took few days to sleep without nightmare. After 3 days of holiday post all hospital police enquiry completed and I returned back to Bangalore. This time definitely day journey.

Even in Bangalore while driving to office the same accident scene often used to run in my mind. After a few days of the incident I got a call from Ramesh got shifted to ward, had some fractures in the leg and getting recovered. He enquired about the bag, did I checked what is inside. I told him that I did not opened it and handed over to the police as is. He thanked me for the help and disconnected the call. After that I kept getting some random calls from unknown numbers asking about the bag. I reported it to the police as well.

Almost a month later, a police inspector called me and asked me to come and meet. I visited that weekend. Inspector narrated me my escape story.

Inspector told me that Ramesh was working for one smuggling gang and the bag he asked me to keep had smuggled diamonds in it. Just before the accident, Ramesh gets a call saying opposite gang is chasing him for the diamond, so he was driving in such a speed to escape. Post accident they get to know that bag is given to some lady so they were searching for the car driven by a lady. 

For a while I revisited that night, I was able to connect the dots, that gang of people on the bus, so many random calls enquiring for the bag. My heart stopped for a while when I thought about the bus scene, my mom call, and my instinct decision not to explain the complete story and getting down immediately, not taking the bag while visiting the hospital which helped police in return. I just thanked God for everything and left the station. Inspector mentioned that they have arrested the complete gang and no further problems expected from them. 

After reaching home I explained everything to my parents, my mom asked me to go visit temple and thank God for safeguarding. It's such a thin line escape cannot forget in my whole life.