riot control

It was my usual afternoon, messing around on the comp, half-asleep, TV chattering away in a corner when the phone rang. I got up with a groan and picked it up. It was my grandfather, and he sounded not a little agitated. "It's a bomb blast", he said. "A mosque in Hyderabad. Don't go too far from the house".

While i was shocked by the news, (immediately flipping to the news channel) i was inclined to brush off my grandfather's concerns... After all, we were in the 21st century. People are waaay too mature to start riots over some terrorist attack hundred's of kilometres away. Right?? Of course, i can't say that to him. He's probably seen riots enough to give me nightmares and therefore, naturally, he's cautious. So i made the usual placating noises and put down the phone.

So i watch the news. Nothing much to see. Bomb blast. In a mosque. Five dead. It's not good. But i've seen so many tragedies on TV that this doesn't really make an impact. I know it's not going to make any difference to me. Obviously. But i can't help it. I get up, slowly walk to the balcony and peer out from behind the curtains... Nothing. It's the same old peaceful 4th Seaward road i've been looking at for the past seven years. Obviously. What did i expect to see...

It's evening. I can't stand being cooped up any longer. So i get on the scooty and head out... aimlessly as always... For today's chapter of "Chennai Exploration", i picked the cenotaph road area... It has lots of byways that i haven't been in... That reminds me, have i mentioned "chennai Explorations"?? No? Well that'll have to be the next post... Anyway...

I'd gone through besant nagar and was just hitting the Aavin Circle, when i spotted it. A riot control vehicle. I'd been half-expecting it since i stepped out, but it still made my heart stop for a second. And it's just my luck that in those few seconds, there wasn't a car in sight. (I know, sounds impossible, but i swear its true) The effect was surreal. I slowed down, prepared to do a quick u-turn and zip off before the angry mob(i was expecting them to come into view any second) caught up to me. Scenes from Hey Ram flashed through my head and i prayed to God that it would be the Hindu mob that got to me first...

Then it happened... the traffic light down the road changed and dozens of cars rushed towards me. People moved across the street, going about their business. The riot control vehicle, now closer, was empty, old, with the paint peeling off, clearly no longer in use. It was like coming out of a dream... I was back. In singara chennai...

It was only a second's hesitation. Still...