I caught the Rajdhani from Delhi to Goa, the best, fastest train, the train that takes precedence over other trains, so never gets late. Imagine my surprise when three prisoners appeared, chained together by their ankles, together with a couple of minders who were looking for seats for the prisoners. I remonstrated loudly:
"I'm not sharing a compartment with them!"
The minders took them away.
Strange, I thought, taking prisoners on the Rajdhani, in an air conditioned carriage!
Later one of the minders came back to my compartment, lay down on the top bunk opposite mine and went to sleep. When he woke up and climbed down he looked at me and began to speak, with difficulty, in English. He was a nice looking, slim young man with a pleasant face, dressed casually in jeans and shirt and he said:
"Those prisoners you saw not in this carriage. In next carriage."
"Are they sharing a compartment with other passengers?" I asked.
"Yes. All three on a top bunk together. Other passengers sitting below and talking to them. One is murderer. Two are diamond thieves. I police officer, taking them to Surat."
"I've never been to Surat. What is at Surat?"
"Rough diamonds. Diamonds cut in Mumbai. Rough diamonds in Surat."
"Where do they come from?"
"Africa."
"So there's a lot of crime in Surat."
"Yes a lot of crime. Big gang stole many diamonds. We catch nine. Police tracking other men in Lucknow, tracking phones. Very dangerous men."
"You live in Surat with your family?"
"No family live in Buj. Buj nice place. I see family once every two weeks. I must stay in Surat six months."
He looked at me wistfully.
"Very lonely Surat. And much tension."
"I'm not sharing a compartment with them!"
The minders took them away.
Strange, I thought, taking prisoners on the Rajdhani, in an air conditioned carriage!
Later one of the minders came back to my compartment, lay down on the top bunk opposite mine and went to sleep. When he woke up and climbed down he looked at me and began to speak, with difficulty, in English. He was a nice looking, slim young man with a pleasant face, dressed casually in jeans and shirt and he said:
"Those prisoners you saw not in this carriage. In next carriage."
"Are they sharing a compartment with other passengers?" I asked.
"Yes. All three on a top bunk together. Other passengers sitting below and talking to them. One is murderer. Two are diamond thieves. I police officer, taking them to Surat."
"I've never been to Surat. What is at Surat?"
"Rough diamonds. Diamonds cut in Mumbai. Rough diamonds in Surat."
"Where do they come from?"
"Africa."
"So there's a lot of crime in Surat."
"Yes a lot of crime. Big gang stole many diamonds. We catch nine. Police tracking other men in Lucknow, tracking phones. Very dangerous men."
"You live in Surat with your family?"
"No family live in Buj. Buj nice place. I see family once every two weeks. I must stay in Surat six months."
He looked at me wistfully.
"Very lonely Surat. And much tension."
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