Yesterday I came across an incident that disturbed me a lot. This has happened to a student who also rides with us. His name is Amit and is from the Bike Nomads club. This guy was riding through Yelahanka to Nandi Hills when he saw a villager lying on the road bleeding ... and injured. Concerned he stopped and took him to the hospital. It was a hit and run case and he needed attention. Amit thought that he would be able to help this poor guy out. He paid his hospital bills since the patient did not have money on him. And left his phone number with the hospital.. in case they needed him to help this guy out.
The next day he was summonded by the police. When he went to the police, he was surprised to find that the relatives and so called well wishers of the patient mobbing him and demanding money and then more money.. and it went on till they threatened him with the fact that if he did not pay up they would put the whole blame on him and make it a police case saying that they were eyewitness to him hitting this man.
As if this was not enough, when he pleaded with the police to help him out, they also refused and questioned him as to why he brought the man in the first place.. and he had to pay the guys since there was nothing they could do if a report was written against him, inspite of the fact that there was no evidence that he was involved in any way with the case except for the fact that he lent a helping hand in saving one's life.
After giving a hefty amount of 7000/- to the police, hospital, and the crowd, he managed to somehow get out of the mess after making a call to his place in Delhi and talking with the police there....
Good Lord !!! where has sense and sensibility disappeared ?
Have people come down to the fact that they will do anything for money ? Even risk a man's life ?
How will this effect the young boy whose only intention was to help ?
We as bikers have gone through this situation at one point or the other and the person who takes us to the right place is an angel we will always be indebted too. I have been on both sides many a times.. sometimes the victim and sometimes the helper.. but maybe I was saved because I was a woman... HUH.. but that did not stop the crowd from asking money in those scenarios... I just had to pay less.... and making a pitiful helpless face does help... :)
This is a disgusting picture of the city that I live in and I am ashamed to say that there is no sense in doing the right deed. The very people like the police who should help citizens out in times like this back away and plot out a way to get more money. It does not matter that he is a student and does not have that much money to shell out... It is a different story that the patient who was actually hit has no say in this. How sadistic and desperate can one get ?
I also remember an incident when there was heavy riot going on during the kidnapping of Rajkumar by Veerapan, I along with a couple of my friends had to walk more than 30 kms to reach home from office since vehicles were being burnt in the road... I somehow reached the intersection where i had to cross and walk some more yards home... right in front of my eyes... two cars were attacked and beaten down by a mob... I was shaking... and asked one of the Hoyasala guys to help.. they looked at me and disinterestedly... told me to carry on. how could one carry on through a violent mob ??? .. you see the police was busy having some snacks instead of controlling the mob,.... they were safer inside the Jeep.... I can still feel the helplessness of standing there alone trying to be discreet and not get attention to myself... fear was in my soul.. fear with disgust and anger that the very people who are entrusted with the responsibility to protect the citizens have nothing in them..... I still remember that a traffic police helped me to cross the road... sheltering me from the stones and the mob... may god bless him...
I can still remember another incident ... when I had gone under a bus... one of the passengers who helped me... took that opportunity to sell me insurance in the pretext of calling me and asking me how I was doing... ???
My only question to myself is what is the concept of a helping hand of humanity ?? of selfless service ?? of faith in humanity ???
Well the only lesson learnt here is that we have to build loopholes even when we are helping out which is sad... but true..and if you are really stuck... only your good fortune can take you out of that mess.
