It was Wednesday.From 2 pm we were playing cricket in the basketball court of our college. Though there are some playground in this engineering college, but all of them always are occupied by some other students. So we ,the BCA students generally play in this concrete field.My team was fielding.It was a easy match for us to win. We had only the last wicket to get. Anurag was bowling. I shouted,” Take the wicket soon yaar, we have another match to play after it.” Anurag didn’t say anything. He took the ball and reached the end of the basketball court. He wanted to bowl as fast as he could as it was clear from his long run up. Fielders made themselves ready. All eyes set on the batsman. Anurag started to run…..
”Thudddd….”-- a sound of falling something stopped him on middle of his run up. We all looked at the 6 floored new building where the construction work was going on. Surely the sound came from there. Something must have fallen from a higher floor. But the green nets covering the building blocked our view. “It must have been pile of bricks or wood”- I thought. Udit said,” wait,let me see what happened there.” Though we all were curious but Anurag tried to stop him,” That would be bricks for sure. Why wasting our time? Lets finish the game 1st. There is always so much noise from that building”. But Udit was already on his way to the new building-`Central Block’,as it was named. I followed him.
It was 4pm.Most of the students left college. Some of them were seen passing through the campus.There was a small crowd in front of the central block.Rest of my friends also followed me seeing us to move towards the mass.As I hurried,I heard someone talking about an accident. I imagined the worst. Some Workers were running towards the office of security guards. I heard one of them speaking with an college official,” He fell from the fourth floor. He slipped from the rod. Please call an ambulance.” My heart started to beat first.The iron structure of rods looked like jail bars. “The boy must have fallen from one of this iron rods,” I thought.Seeing the centre spot of the crowd ,I thought I would faint. A boy,probably of my age was lying unconciously in a pool of blood. His head and face was badly enjured,his right arm was twisted. A worker was trying to clean the wounds.He bandaged the boy’s forehead with a towel. The man looked shocked and severely scared. He was crying for help desperately,” Please help.Call an ambulance . Save my brother,please.” He wasn’t getting response from the crowd. Udit suddenly shouted,” Does somebody have a car here?The hospital is only two kilometer away. We don’t have to wait for the ambulance. We just need a car.” Nobody responded positively.In the crowd There were some professors too who regularly come in college in their cars. But in this case of emergency no one moved forward to help. All I heard in that crowd was bullshit advices as only response. I saw some cars parked in the garage of our college. I ran towards the garage in hope of getting some help. Anurag and Vivek also came running. We pleaded to some drivers of these cars to lend us a car. But all gave excuses-without the permission of the owners they could do nothing. Anurag tried to offer them money for their help. But they all refused.
We went to the main office.A gang of workers were arguing with the officials in front of the office. They demanded for an ambulance or atleast a car to move the boy to hospital as quick as possible. But the officials were turned deaf ears. They said they had called for an ambulance but it will take half an hour to come.” But there is no time. We cant wait any further. He had lost so much blood.He will die,unless we shift him to hospital now, Please arrange us a car.There are so lots of car in the garage.,”a worker pleaded helplessly.But the officials gave them lame excuses,that they have no authority to lend a private car.I had enough lies and excuses. I screamed at the officials,my temper being uncontrollable,” Bullshit!What the hell are you saying?There are some cars that belongs to you in that garage. Are you implying that you need permission to lend your own cars?” Udit tried to control me. But I was beyond control. I fired upon them again,” Atleast order a bus to take the man to hospital.Its only two kilometer away. Don’t try to fool us .You cant run away from your responsibilities.”The workers were also getting agitated. Authorities already called the security guards fearing mishap. They moved us along with the workers out of the main office. Our group of friends met outside the college premises.I felt helpless.Panic, fear ,anger and sorrow blended in my mind all together. None of my friend has a car. Most of us live in this locality in hostels or as paying guests. Anurag said,” lets hire a taxi. There must be some cabs passing in front of the college.” For 10 mins we tried to hire a cab or a private car. Atlast paying 1000 rupees we finally managed to hire a taxi. The injured worker was taken to the hospital by his brother and other mates.They thanked us for our help.We heard the next day that the boy was out of danger and was in ICU.
Two months have passed since then. The construction work resumed after 1 week of the accident.The workers still works taking risks to their lives.I still remember every moment of that incident.I have felt that though the people have lots of wealth in this city, they do not have hearts.They have lost their humanity.What if the same accidents happen to them and in that moment of emergency everybody refuse to help? If all of us always behave selfishly then in hour of need there will be none to help us too.If it would have been my small town,we would not have any difficulties in finding help there. May be my town is not as big as KOLKATA,but it has golden hearted people who care for each other.
