Yakshagni - An odyssey of unbroken devotion - II

24) From Fancying to Trusting

Maurya caught sight of Dharma as soon as he entered the lobby of Index Fashion House. She was hovering near the reception desk, scrutinizing something on her phone.  

"You alright?" Maurya asked, running his eyes over her. Dharma nodded, placing her phone in her handbag.

"Dharma, who is this creep?" Tapan queried.

"He lives in Bilaspur and has been tailing me for some time."

"So how did this happen?"

When Dharma finished narrating the horror, both Tapan and Maurya were stunned.

"Are you saying that you poked his neck and he fainted?" Tapan asked in astonishment, his impression of Dharma going notches higher.

"It is not poking Tapan. It is an attempt to lower the blood pressure by using pressure points."

"How do you know this?" Maurya asked, even though he was surprised by her quick response to the assault.

"They used to teach such self- defence techniques for girls in our school," Dharma answered. It had been Ambika Mohan's dream to make all the girls in Mohandham prepared in mind and body for such encounters in life.

"I hope the jerk learnt a lesson," Tapan muttered.

"Can we file a report against him?"

"Which police station did the auto driver take him to?"

Dharma named the area where she had escaped from Chaitanya. Maurya checked the nearest police station in the area.

"I think I got the station." He led them to his car, and while getting into the car, he pronounced determinedly, "He is going to regret the day he saw you, Dharma."

When they reached the station, Dharma surveyed the low-roofed building with dismay. It had a gloomy façade and the dull lighting made it drearier. Dharma wished she didn't have to enter the building. However, Maurya was already striding ahead purposefully. She trailed after him while Tapan caught up with her.

The officer on duty was quite pleasant, contrary to Dharma's expectation, and listened to Maurya in earnest.

"Yes, an auto driver dropped a man here some time ago. He said he troubled the passenger." He viewed Dharma, "You are the passenger?" and when she nodded, he continued with his questions, "When did he start stalking you?" "Was he always alone or with someone else?"

Dharma answered the questions in detail.

"Did he hurt you now in the auto? Are there bruises?"

Dharma hesitated. Maurya observed the myriad expressions flitting across her face while the officer waited for her answer. When Dharma nodded in affirmation, she was asked to show the bruises. She rolled up her sleeves and exposed her upper arm where the impression of Chaitanya's fingers had branded her soft skin with purple discoloration. One of the officers clicked a picture. Maurya's livid gaze caught hers but she looked away.

"Is that all?" the officer inquired.

"No, when I tried to jump out of the auto, he caught my ankle and held on to it tightly. I tripped and the metal rod below the seat hurt me," Dharma said, bending to show the injury on her ankle. There was a blue and black contusion on the spot above her ankle. Other than that, the strap of her sandal had pressed against her skin when Chaitanya had tightened his grip. The strap had left ugly marks on her skin.

Some more pictures were taken and a formal complaint was filed against Chaitanya. Maurya reeled off the many attempts of Chaitanya to ambush Dharma and the officer noted down the information.